Bagan rally to down Vasco

Mohun Bagan rallied from a goal down to beat a spirited Vasco 2-1 and registered their fourth successive victory in the ONGC I-League at the Nehru stadium in Margao, Goa, on Thursday.

It was Vasco, who took the lead in the 29th minute through Lalnua Puia. However, Rakesh Masih (31 minute) and Lalkamal (53rd) dashed the hosts' hopes of an upset by finding the net for the Kolkata side.

Vasco controlled the proceedings throughout with quick passes and held ball possession and exchanges for a major part of the match. They forged ahead when a long lob, parried away by goalkeeper Sangram Mukherjee, deflected to Puia, who chipped the ball into the net from the top of the box.

The Goan side often penetrated the rival half but failed to score.

Bagan, who looked subdued, restored parity in the 31st minute when Marcos Pereira directed the ball to Rakesh off a free-kick. Rakesh's back-header found the net to have both the teams tied 1-1 at half-time.

Bagan scored the match-winner in the 53rd minute. Jose Ramiriz Baretto, from the centre, laid a pass to substitute Lalkamal, who had replaced an off-colour Ishfaq Ahmed. The substitute got the better of defender Elvino Fernandes before essaying a left-footer that found the roof of the net.

The visitor's prevented the hosts from equalising as custodian Mukherjee did well to put out a stiff grounder off Agnelo D'Souza.

The win took Mohun Bagan to third place with 15 points from nine matches while Vasco remained at the bottom with 2 points from as many matches.

Marcos Pereira was shown the yellow card by referee Pratap Singh.