I-League: Pune FC down Royal Wahingdoh; go top of table

Pune FC braved a rain soaked evening and clinched a narrow 1-0 win over Royal Wahingdoh FC in an I-League Round-8 encounter at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi on Saturday.

A first half strike from Thongkhosiem Haokip (27th minute) proved to be the difference between the two sides in a hard fought encounter which went right down to the wire.

The win was also Pune FC’s first in four games and helped them leapfrog Mohun Bagan AC (14 points) into the summit of the standings with 15 points.

Wahingdoh kept pushing on the other end. In the 86th minute a powerful shot by Reagan Singh hit the crossbar, while another long ranger by Densill Theobald hit the crossbar. However, Pune FC kept their calm and defended well in the final minutes of the game to clinch a narrow 1-0 win.

Bengaluru FC get past Sporting

Sporting Clube de Goa continued to be rooted at the bottom of the pool and winless in seven matches after they went down 1-3 against Bengaluru FC at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Saturday.

Sporting Clube were encouraged by their one-all draw against Pune FC in the last game, and although they were up against the defending champions, they were confident they could get a positive result. But Bengaluru FC, the I-League and Federation Cup champions, had other ideas as they handed Sporting their fourth loss in seven matches.

Sean Rooney (29, 45) scored a brace in the first half before Anthony Wolfe (66′) pulled one back for the hosts in the second session. Sporting, encouraged by Wolfe’s goal, pressed for the equalizer but Beikhokhei Beingaichho (86′) won full points for the visitors and helped calm nerves after they were hammered 1-4 by Mohun Bagan.

Mumbai FC register first away win

Mumbai FC rode on to Josimar’s first half penalty and Samapath Kuttymani’s 71st minute blinder to beat host Bharat FC 2-0 in the Round 8 match of the Hero I-League at the Balewadi Sports Complex Stadium in Pune on Friday.

Khalid Jamil, who returned a bruised man after Maharashtra Derby against Pune FC on February 1, will be pleased after his team played a dominant match not to allow any leeway to Bharat FC.

The win gave Mumbai FC three points that will raise them to No 4 position on the I-League table with 10 points from seven matches. 

Bharat FC on the other hand will stay on in the No 10 position with 5 points from six games.