I-League - Round 25: Salgaocar drop more points

The twenty-fifth Round of matches of the I-League 2010/11 were played on May 7 & 8 across India with some matches slated for late-May. Salgaocar once more dropped points and seem to have run out of steam towards the end of the campaign, while Churchill Brothers go to the top on goal difference though they have played more games. This leaves East Bengal and Dempo in a better position, but once more due to AFC Cup commitments their matches had to be postponed.


Round 25 Match by Match Short Review
01-Jun-2011: East Bengal Club 2-1 (2-0) Chirag United (in Kolkata)
East Bengal Club ended their season with a 2-1 win against local rivals Chirag United SC at the Saltlake Stadium, Kolkata. With the win East Bengal leapfrogged past Dempo SC and Churchill Brothers SC into the second spot with 51 points from 26 matches, which will bring some smiles back to Trevor Morgan and his boys. Chirag United ended their season on 29 points as eighth in the season.
East Bengal took a 18th minute lead from a Susanth Mathew goal, while Australian striker Tolgay Ozbey made it 2-0 in the 38th minute. Chirag United's Sunil Chhetri was only able to reduce the deficit in the 63rd minute as the match ended 2-1 in favour of East Bengal.

07-May-2011: Mumbai FC 1-2 (1-1) Indian Arrows (in Kolhapur)
Indian Arrows scored a vital 2-1 win against Mumbai FC to get three crucial points in their fight against relegation in the I-League. The Arrows moved to 26 points from 24 matches, while Mumbai FC stay on 32 points from 23 matches.
The Arrows took an early 12th minute lead through a curling Lalrindika free-kick, but Sampath Kumar Kuttymani would equalise for MFC in the 35th minute. The winner would come on the hour mark as once more Lalrindika scored for the Arrows.

07-May-2011: Viva Kerala 0-0 ONGC (in Kannur)
Viva Kerala and ONGC played out a goalless draw in the I-League in Kannur. The result helps Viva Kerala more as they move to 26 points from 25 matches, while ONGC now have 23 points from 25 matches to stay just above the relegation zone.
There wasn't much action in this game as both defences stood tight with rare chances to P.K. Anil Kumar of Viva Kerala and Badmus Babatunde for ONGC, the top striker of both the teams.

27-May-2011: Pune FC 3-2 (1-0) Dempo SC (in Pune)
Dempo SC suffered a major setback in their quest to retain the I-League with a 2-3 loss away to Pune FC at their Balewadi Sports Complex. Dempo remain on 47 points from 24 matches and will have to hope that Salgaocar lose their final match against JCT, while they win their remaining to two games with big margins to have any chances to retain the title. PFC meanwhile moved into sixth place with 33 points from 25 matches.
Izumi Arata opened the scoring for Pune FC in the 34th minute before Mandjou Keita doubled the score after the break, but Dempo weren't beaten yet as first Roberto Mendes Silva reduced the deficit in the 62nd minute before Ranty Martins Soleye equalised only four minutes later. But PFC would score the winner once more through Izumi Arata to deny Dempo any points from this match.

08-May-2011: HAL, Bangalore 0-3 (0-2) Churchill Brothers SC (in Bangalore)
Bangalore's HAL suffered another set-back in their quest to stay in the I-League when they suffered a 0-3 home loss against title chasing Churchill Brothers SC. HAL stay 14th and last with only 20 points from 24 matches, while Churchill Brothers SC moved to the top of the table with now 47 points from 24 matches, but their title rivals have played less matches.
The Goans had the match sealed early on as Odafe Onyeka Okolie's 7th minute goal and T. Bineesh Balan goal in the 12th minute gave them an early cushion which was never really tested as Kayne Vincent added a late 87th minute goal to seal the 3-0 win.

08-May-2011: Air India 1-0 (0-0) JCT (in Kolhapur)
In a relegation battle Air India prevailed 1-0 against JCT in Kolhapur. The Airmen moved past JCT to 24 points from 25 matches, while JCT dropped back into the relegation zone while staying on 23 points from 23 matches.
Air India's golden goal of the day was scored by Nigerian striker Okorogor Nnabuike Praise in the 54th minute, a vital victory for the Mumbai who only have a match in hand.

08-May-2011: Mohun Bagan AC 2-2 (1-2) Salgaocar SC (in Kolkata)
Mohun Bagan held league leaders Salgaocar SC to an entertaining two-all draw in Kolkata. The Goans moved to 47 points from 23 matches, while Mohun Bagan moved to 31 points from 24 matches.
Nigerian striker Chidi Edeh gave Mohun Bagan a 15th minute lead off a Surkumar Singh cross. But Salgaocar would turn things around before the break. First Japanese Ryuji Sueoka would equalise on the half hour mark and then young Gilbert Oliveira would give Salgaocar a 39th minute lead. But it was once more Chidi who scored for the green-and-maroon in the 52nd minute. Salgaocar did try to get the winner, but they wouldn't succeed as their title push got another dampener.


Click here for the 4th I-League 2010/11 - League Table & Fixtures .