The Hindu : East Bengal edges out Salgaocar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 04, 2003

Sport

Sport - Football

East Bengal edges out Salgaocar

By Our Sports Reporter

KOLKATA FEB. 3. Kingfisher East Bengal raced to a five points lead compared to its nearest opponent as the Oil PSU VII National Football League reached its half-way stage.

The former champion East Bengal brightened its prospects for the second title beating Goa visitor Dempo SC 3-2 in a keenly contested home match here at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday.

In a similar round-11 match, defending champion Mohun Bagan was not so fortunate losing 0-2 to another Goa visitor Salgaocar SC.

East Bengal is now comfortably placed on top with 27 points, which meant the former champion remained a clear five points ahead of Salgaocar which nudged another Goa team, Vasco SC, to claim the second spot with 22 points.

Vasco has tallied 21 points from its 11 matches, falling to the third position while Dempo took the fourth spot with 20 points. Mohun Bagan remained a poor fifth with 18 points.

Nigerian striker Mike Okoro, who scored a brace helped East Bengal notch up its third consecutive win.

The contest assumed more importance for the fact that the red and yellow brigade was trailing 1-2 at the breather having missed a penalty among other chances.

But the home team made a commendable recovery in the second session making a successful comeback to collect full three points.

The local giant took the lead as early as in the third minute when Dempo's new Sri Lankan recruit, E.B. Channa, scored a suicidal goal while trying to clear an Alvito D'Cunha free kick. Barely a minute later, the Goan visitor restored parity through veteran striker Raman Vijayan, who shot home from close.

Continuing its offensive, Dempo took the lead in the 14th minute.

Channa, desperate to make amends of his earlier mistake, broke into the Bagan box to avail a Bijen Singh provision and successfully finished it with a rasping volley that hit the side post before ramming into the net. It was over to Okoro following the change of ends and the East Bengal striker made no mistakes scoring twice to fetch the crucial win for his team.

Mohun Bagan, playing early in the afternoon at the same venue after its match was postponed by a day, was into crisis as early as in the 15th minute as Ghanaian Bello Rasaq drew the first blood to give Salgaocar the lead. As the home team struggled to put things together Climax Lawrence increased the scoreline for Salgaocar scoring a penalty in the 73rd minute. Bagan tried desperately to restore parity but all its efforts looked in vain as it failed to break the opponent defence owing to poor finishing of its forwards and some brilliant saves effected the Salgaocar custodian, Kalyan Chaubey.

The visitors scored the insurance goal from a penalty awarded after Bagan stopper Yakubu brought down Liberian striker Sunday Seah inside the box. Lawrence made no mistake in finding the target.

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