I-League: Salgaocar thrash Pailan Arrows

Salgaocar scored an emphatic 4-0 win over Pailan Arrows and registered its first victory in the ongoing I-League, played at Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Margao, on Friday.

Salgaocar, which was looking to bounce back after it lost the opening encounter against Dempo, put up a disciplined performance and scored all the goals in the first half through Edeh Chidi (15th, 23rd), Francis Fernandes (26th) and Biswajit Saha (31st).

For Friday's match, Salgaocar brought in Francis Fernandes and Elijah Junior Obagbemiro in place of Ishfaq Ahmed and Ryuji Sueoka, who had two chances to put the team ahead in the first ten minutes. However, they lacked direction.

With short quick passes, the Salgaocar players moved the ball well among themselves and probed more often into the rival half and surged ahead in the 15th minute.

Gilbert Oliveira, from the right, initiated the move and relayed the ball to Jaspal Parmar, as he sent a goal mount cross to Edeh Chidi, who beat the keeper with a powerful shot from inside the box.

The inexperienced Pailan Arrows received a setback, when its defender Avinabo Bag was sent off by Referee Md Kamil, after he handled Chidi shot from inside the box, which was going into the net. Referee Md Kamil awarded a penalty to Salgaocar, which was converted into an opportunity by Chidi in the 23rd minute.

Three minutes later, man of the match Francis Fernandes found the net.

Pailan Arrows' woes were compounded, when Lalrozama Fanai shot into its own goal, after he tried to clear the ball off a cross from Biswajit Saha from the left to end the challenge.

Mohun Bagan score over Chirag United

Mohun Bagan scored a 2-1 victory over Chirag United in a second round match of the fifth I-League football tournament at the Yuba Bharati ground in Kolkata on Friday.

Odafa Onyeka Okolie (50th minute) and Jose Ramirez Barreto (83rd) scored for Mohun Bagan, while Australian recruit Michael Matricciani (67th) found the net for Chirag even as the first half ended goalless.

Mohun Bagan, who had thrashed AIFF's developmental side Pailan Indian Arrows 3-1 in their opening match, joined Dempo at the top of the table with six points from two wins.

Last match hero Odafa started in Bagan's attacking line-up alongside Sunil Chhetri as the Kolkata giants went for a 4-4-2 formation, with skipper Barreto ably discharging the duty of the playmaker alongside Murali Joseph.

Chirag, on the other hand, played with their two strong centre-backs in Isaac Bokaye and Charles Dzisah.

In the second half, an error from Sharath handed Bagan an easy goal as Odafa found an open net.

Chirag, however, restored parity through Matricciani.

The winning moment for Bagan came in the 83rd minute when the ever-reliable Barreto beautifully converted a free-kick.

Meanwhile host Shillong Lajong defeated HAL Bangalore 1-0 in the Imphal derby.

Pune FC hold Sporting Clube

In a game that saw too many twists and late drama, Pune FC drew 2-2 with Sporting Clube de Goa at the Balewadi Stadium, in Pune.

Having drawn their opening games, home team Pune FC and visitors Sporting Clube de Goa were eager to register their first win of the campaign.

Sporting were awarded a debatable penalty in the 26th minute. Kalu Ogba converted the resulting penalty, sending young PFC custodian Shahinlal Meloly the wrong way.

As the teams came out in the second half, it was the home side who dominated the play and threatened from the word go.

As the game wore on, the home side committed more men forward, exposing their backline as a result. Sporting were quick to exploit the home side's defensive frailties to double their advantage after 64th  minutes when Freiman Peixoto tapped in Moga's low cross.

Pune FC coach Derrick Pereira used all three substitutions in quick succession to give the home side much needed presence in the offence.

And it immediately paid off in the 79th minute when Jeje Lalpekhlua brought the home side back into the match with a looping header, that deceived Sporting keeper Mederia.

They were in the ascendency by now and were pressing for the equaliser. And to the delight of the home crowd, Chika Wali nodded in an equaliser on 83 minutes.