I-League - Round 20: The title race is on

After the break for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers the I-League restarted with the twenteenth Round of matches with matches played on April 2, 3 & 4 across India. Amongst the four Salgaocar, East Bengal and Dempo would all win; while Churchill Brothers only drew.


Round 20 Match by Match Short Review
04-Apr-2011: Air India 0-3 (0-0) East Bengal Club (in Kolhapur)
East Bengal Club scored their second 3-0 win in a row by beating Air India away in Kolhapur. Once more this season the red-and-golds Australian recruit Tolgay Ozbey was the hero of the day with a second half hattrick which has brought the Kolkata side back in the hunt for the I-League title.

03-Apr-2011: HAL, Bangalore 0-4 (0-1) Indian Arrows (in Bangalore)
The Indian Arrows are growing in stature by the day and international experience is giving them an added edge in the I-League. HAL suffered a humiliating 0-4 loss at the hands of the India youngsters, but the Airmen also missed regular defenders Rohit Chand and Femi Joseph Adeola due to double bookings), while right-back R. Sreekanth was out injured.
Onre more the man in form Jeje Lalpekhulua gave his side the opening goal and the Arrows went into the break with a 1-0 lead. After the break Jewel Sheikh Raja, Shilton D'Silva Malsawmfela would add to the tally.

03-Apr-2011: Pune FC 0-1 (0-0) Salgaocar SC (in Pune)
Salgaocar SC continued their title chase with a lone goal victory in Pune against local side Pune FC to stay top of the I-League. Salgaocar where the better of the two sides, but they missed a number of chances early on still they went on to win the game as seasoned Yakubu Yusif scored a 66th minute winner of a perfect long-ranger.

02-Apr-2011: Viva Kerala 4-1 (1-0) JCT (in Kannur)
Viva Kerala scored a vital 4-1 win against JCT in an I-League relegation game to ease the pressure on the Kerala side, while it got more on the Punjab Millmen. Viva Kerala took a first half lead through Sajesh P. following a corner and just after the break Karma T. would double the lead. It looked as if Viva Kerala would easily win this game, but JCT got a goal back through Ajay Singh, then they went out in search of the equaliser and forgot to defend as P.K. Anil Kumar would score a brace to give Viva Kerala a 4-1 win.

03-Apr-2011: Mumbai FC 0-0 Mohun Bagan AC (in Kolhapur)
Mumbai FC and Mohun Bagan AC played out a tame draw in Kolhapur with really nothing much at stake for the two sides in the I-League, who are stuck in the middle with no chance of the championship or having anything to do with relegation. But the two sides had chances through their African strikers, but none were on target on this day.

03-Apr-2011: Chirag United SC 2-4 (1-3) Dempo SC (in Kolkata)
Lately some of Chirag United SC home matches in the I-League have been enjoyable high scoring encounters. And once more they were on the losing side as they lost 2-4 against the defending champions Dempo SC. Ranti Martins Soleye gave Dempo an early lead which Roberto Mendes Silva would double off a penalty. Chirag United did reduce the deficit before the break through Shankar Oraon, but Peter Carvalho in injury time added a third for Dempo's. After the break Chirag United scored their second through Indian international Sunil Chhetri, but only minutes later Ranti Martins Soleye would seal the game for the Goans.

04-Apr-2011: Churchill Brothers SC 3-3 (1-0) ONGC (in Goa)
Churchill Brothers SC lost two vital points in their quest for a second I-League title against bottom of the table club ONGC in Goa. The entertaining match ended three-all, which gave the relegation fighting Oilmen a vital point in their fight for survival, while Churchill Brothers might have lost their last chance to regain the title. Boima Karpeh gave the Goans a first half lead, but after the break Badmus Babatunde got the equaliser for ONGC and twice more Churchill Brothers would take the lead before ONGC equalised. First a T. Bineesh Balan goal was egalised by N.D Opara, while Odafe Oyneka Okolie's goal gave his side the 3-2 lead, but Badmus Babatunde would score his second of the day to square things at three-all.


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