Salgoacar gets past East Bengal

MARGAO, FEB. 2. A goal in dying minute by Medio Dharamjit Singh enabled defending champion Salgoacar (Goa) register 2-1 win over Calcutta's East Bengal and add three valuable points to its tally in the first match of the second phase Coca Cola National football league match played at Nehru stadium here on Wednesday.

A brace by medio Dharamjit Singh in the 25th minute and 89th minute gave Salgoacar full points. While Willie Brawn scored for East Bengal in the 50th minute.

With this win Salgoacar now moves on to third place from the 5th with 20 points from 12 outings below table topper Mohan Bagan with 25 points and another Goan outfit Churchill Brothers with 23 points with one match less. East Bengal remained with 14 points from equal number of matches.

Displaying scintillating soccer, Salgoacar initiated waves of attacks and could have won by a handsome margin had Salgoacar striker Joao dos Santos not muffed a couple of opportunities, specially in the first half.

Habib Adenkunle, Gbengal Lawal and S Venkatesh spearheaded the attack and East Bengal goal survived many close calls.

On the other hand, there were hardly any incisive moves by East Bengal in the first session. Cartlon Chapman, Emmanual Opoku and Ranjan Dey looked mere passengers.

Salgoacar surged ahead in the 28th minute of the first half through medio Dharamjit Singh. The goal was the result of fine combination move. Santos from the right flank relayed to Venkatesh who in turned quickly passed to Dharamjit whose header found the net.

After change of ends East Bengal played with a renewed vigour and restored the parity through Willie Brown, whose 30 yard shot went into the net. Inspired by the equaliser East Bengal made a splendid attack but Salgoacar defence was hard nut to crack.

Both the teams had an equal share of exchanges in the second half towards the end of second half the host stepped up the pace of the game and resolved the impasse scoring the match winner in the 89th minute through Dharamjit Singh, off a well measured pass from substitute Dennis Cabral.

- UNI

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