I League: Salgaocar stun Bagan

Salgaocar Football Club scored a goal in each half to beat Karim Bencherifa's Mohun Bagan with a clinical 2-0 victory at Duler Stadium in Mapusaon Sunday.

Played amidst heavy security and with policemen guarding the team benches, Salgaocar scored through their foreign imports, Gabriel Obatola and Josimar da Silva, to move out of the relegation zone.

Bagan continued to be at the bottom of the pool with zero points after 11 matches.

Salgaocar, who struggled upfront to see them lying low at the bottom, recruited three foreigners to pull themselves out of the relegation zone and the foreigners did well with Gabriel Obatola and Josimar scoring a goal each.

Salgaocar were in complete control as they held the ball more and could have taken early lead had Obatola not wasted a penalty, and later Bagan keeper Arindam  Bhattacharya making two stunning saves before their cidatel fell in the 35th minute.

Salgaocar had a chance to surge ahead in the 12th minute itself when Gilbert Oliveira's cross was handled inside the danger zone by Bagan defender Celestin Echezona and referee Andrew Shekhar awarded a spot kick.

Obatola, Salgaocar's new Nigerian striker, stepped up, sent the goalkeeper the wrong way but the ball sailed out much to the disappointment of the two packed stands.

It was Obatola, however, who made amends and put Salgaocar ahead in the 35th minute after Josimar Martins had done extremely well to create panic in the Bagan defence with a superb run.

Bagan's only chance of the half fell for Tolgay Ozbey, but the Australian strikers' attempt was well saved by Karanjit Singh.

In the second half, Bagan had an early chance which Snehashish Chakraborty missed, and after that it was Salgaocar who seized the initiative.

Salgaocar's second goal came in the 62nd minute and it was Obatola again who was at the heart of the action.

His drive from inside the box was thwarted by Arindam only to see the ball fall on the path of Josimar who shot home to give Salgaocar full points and give the team breathing space as they are now above the relegation zone with 14 points from 16 matches.