I-League: Mohun Bagan Beat Salgaocar 3-1
The win enabled the Mariners establish a four-point lead over defending champions Bengaluru FC with one match in hand as Mohun Bagan also avenged their Federation Cup rout when they lost 1-4 to crash out.
Sony Norde and Katsumi Yusa struck one each as Mohun Bagan downed Salgaocar 3-1 in an action-packed second-half to maintain their stronghold atop the table in the I-League football tournament at the Vidyasagar Krirangan here on Friday.
The second-half saw all the four goals as Denson Devadas gave Mohun Bagan the lead (51st) but within a minute the Goans brought the game on an even keel after Augustin Fernandes smashed in from close range from a freekick.
The city heavyweights, however, grabbed the lead in the 70th minute when Katsumi Yusa from a Norde corner as the Japanese snatched a loose ball from the rebound off Salgaocar goalkeeper Subrata Paul.
Norde then gave Mohun Bagan a commanding lead in the 85th minute when the Haitian recruit cut in from the left leaving two defenders for dead and fired in from just outside the box.
The win enabled the Mariners establish a four-point lead over defending champions Bengaluru FC with one match in hand as Mohun Bagan also avenged their Federation Cup rout when they lost 1-4 to crash out.
The Mariners' win was, however, soured when five minutes into added time, Bikramjit Singh was sent off for a second yellow card. Daryl Duffy stepped up to take the freekick just on the edge of the box but only struck the wall.
It could have got even better for the Mariners as Sony Norde took a great freekick from the left as regulation time was over. Katsumi who was clear on the far post failed to head the ball onto the target.
Having made three changes in Jeje Lalpekhlua, Bikramjit Singh and Dhanachandra Singh, Mohun Bagan held the better share of possession in the first-half as Norde made some good moves into the Salgaocar's box.