I-League: Bengaluru FC prevail over Salgaocar; cement top spot

Three penalties were converted at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Saturday, as Bengaluru FC pulled off a thrilling 2-1 win over Salgaocar SC with an injury time goal, in the 16th round of the Airtel I-League.

With this win the hosts retained their spot at the top of the points table. Bengaluru FC now have 30 points from 15 matches, whereas Salgaocar are on 18 points from 14 encounters.

Just when it looked that the match was heading for a 1-1 draw, Bengaluru FC were awarded a penalty in the injury time of the match, when Robin Singh was brought down inside the box. Robin made no mistake from the spot as he put the ball into the net in the injury time to help his team bag full three points from the match.

Earlier, Benagluru FC took the lead in the 29th minute, after the hosts were awarded with a penalty when Nicolao Colaco handled the ball inside the box while trying to stop a Keegan Pereira cross. Skipper Sunil Chhetri put the ball past a diving Karanjit Singh, who had anticipated rightly, but Chhetri’s shot was too good for him.

The visitors made a comeback in the 84th minute in identical fashion. Clifton Dias’ cross was handled by Siam Hangal inside the box as the referee pointed towards the spot. Gilbert Oliveira converted the penalty to bring back the visitors into the match, but at the end it wasn’t good enough for Salgaocar to even snatch one point from the match.

Benagluru’s Thoi Singh was awarded the man of the match award.

Okolie Odafa regained his silken touch with twin-strike that helped Mohun Bagan record a 3-1 victory over Pune FC in Kolkata.

Ram Malik was the other scorer for the green and maroon brigade. The win also put an end to speculations about the removal of Moroccan coach Karim Bencharifa for the time being.

Starting as underdogs, Mohun Bagan looked a reformed side with Odafa striking in the 30th and 80th minutes, for the Nigerian's tally to only three this season.

Malik (75th) struck in between to complete their rout of Pune FC for a deservedly three points for Mohun Bagan only fourth win this season as they jumped to 18 points from 15 matches.

Pune FC pulled one back through substitute Thongkhosiem Haokip (79th) and the loss widened third-placed Pune FC's (24 points) gap against leaders Bengaluru FC by six points.

Sporting Clube de Goa avenged their first leg defeat as they edged past United Sports Club by a solitary goal at the Duler Stadium, Mapusa (Goa).

With the league taking a long break, Sporting Clube de Goa ended the year on a winning note to stay in second place with 27 points from 14 matches, three points behind the leaders -- Bengaluru FC -- who have played one match more than them.

Sporting Clube de Goa, who were determined to end the year on a winning note, started positively and took an early lead in the fourth minute through Rojen Singh that ultimately turned out to be the winner.

Two injury-hit sides still produced exciting football at times and Shillong Lajong FC held on for a 2-1 victory over Dempo at the JN Stadium, Shillong.

Milan Singh opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half, before Jeje Lalpekhlua restored parity for Dempo in the second session. A beautiful Boithang Haokip curler ended up as the winning goal a few minutes later.

Dempo were only fielding the one foreign player in Simon Colosimo, forced to play without the likes of Shinnosuke Honda, Billy Mehmet or Roberto Mendes Silva.

Lajong, for their part, looked a little inexperienced up the front without Uilliams Souza Silva, who is still injured, and Cornell Glen, who picked up four yellow cards in the season.