KOLKATA: Mahindra United’s woes continued as their race for title received a fresh jolt on Wednesday following a 1-3 defeat to Mohun Bagan, who are looking for top three finish in the ONGC I-League.
The mariners, who tested first victory in six matches in second leg against Air India (4-0) last week, continued to shine and drew first blood inside 10 minutes. Japanese Ryuji Sueoka beautifully capitalised a cross from Edeh Chidi, who also netted from a penalty into the first-half injury time.
Mercurial striker Md Rafi equalised the score for MU 14 minutes later, converting a penalty shot. After Edeh Chidi’s 12th goal of this edition, Shehashish Chakraborty ensured drubbing of the visitors in the 68th minute, MU’s straight second and third defeat of the championship. Debutants Shillong Lajong FC beat MU 2-1 in their previous play. Mohun Bagan had also beaten the jeepmen 2-1 in the first leg.
The second beating in a row kept the Mumbai outfit on 37 points from 22 plays, four points behind the leaders Dempo, who have a match in hand, and Mohun Bagan overtook Chirag United to fourth place with 32 points from 21 games. Now Bagan and holders Churchill Brothers have same points but the Goan side have one match in hand. Chirag United remained stranded on 31 points from 22 games after Wednesday’s defeat to JCT.
JCT pip Chirag 1-0
In Ludhiana, Nigerian striker Nna Henry Ezeh’s second half strike saw JCT Phagwara down Chirag United by a solitary goal in a league encounter of the ONGC I-League at the Guru Nanak stadium.
Ezeh struck in the 54th minute to give the millmen full points. This was the second successive victory for the Phagwara side on their home ground as they had thrashed Viva Kerala 5-1 last week.
After a dull goalless first half, JCT shed their defensive tactics and adopted an aggressive approach which paid dividends in the 54th minute when Ezeh taking advantage of a defensive lapse struck home to give his side the lead. In a bid to clear the ball the Chirag defenders handed the ball to Ezeh inside the penalty box.
Pune FC down Viva Kerala
Edmar Figueira scored a brace as Pune FC scored a comfortable 3-1 victory over Viva Kerala in their I-League match on Wednesday.
Pune’s win was set up with an early goal after Sampath Kumar Kuttimani breached the Viva defence in the 10th minute. Edmar Figueira, who proved to be Pune’s hero, struck a brace with strikes in the 20th and 24th minute to make it 3-0 for the home side.
Raman Sisupalan’s 49th minute strike reduced the margin for
Viva Kerala.
Ezeh after side stepping an advancing defender sent a rasping drive to the left of the Chirag custodian and into the net much to the relief of the JCT bench. Thereafter the millmen launched a series of attacks and kept the Kolkata defence on tenterhooks.
The home team should have won by a wider margin with Ezeh missing the target by a whisker on a number of occasions. The lanky Nigerian was declared the man-of-the-match.
With this victory the millmen took their points tally to 28 from 22 matches while Chirag stay on 31 points from as many matches. JCT will now play three away matches against Pune FC, Mahindra United and Air India before returning to their home turf to face East Bengal in their last encounter on May seven.
