Postponed I-League Games: East Bengal score big point

May 15 was an I-League match day for postponed games which had not been held earlier due to commitments of East Bengal Club and Dempo SC in the 2011 AFC Cup, while other matches had been postponed for organisational reasons. Overall four matches were played on this Sunday which could influence the outcome of the I-League at the top and bottom.


Match by Match Short Review
Round 15
15-May-2011: East Bengal Club 3-2 (0-1) Dempo SC (in Kolkata)
Former NFL champions East Bengal Club came from behind to defeat reigning I-League champions Dempo SC 3-2 in an exciting match at the Saltlake Stadium, Kolkata. East Bengal now have 47 points from 22 matches, while Dempo stay on 44 from the same number of games.
Dempo took an early seventh minute lead through a Ranty Martins Soleye goal and it was an open game thereafter with more chances for East Bengal, but Dempo went into the break with a one goal lead. Things would change after the break as the red-and-gold were on fire. First Baljit Singh Sahni would equalise two minutes into the half. Then a double strike from Australian striker Tolgay Ozbey in the 50th and 57th minute gave the local side a 3-1 lead. The referee Dinesh Nair had his hands full with a lot at stake - tons of yellow cards and three red cards. First Dempo's Clifford Miranda and then East Bengal's Gurwinder Singh and Nirmal Chetri were all send off. The match was stopped for a while as Mahesh Gawli was taken off the field and to a hospital, which led to the match having more then 10 minutes of injury time. Just before the end Roberto Mendes Silva would reduce the margin through a penalty after Nirmal Chetri handled the ball in the box.

Round 15
15-May-2011: Pune FC 1-1 (0-0) Mumbai FC (in Pune)
Pune FC and Mumbai FC played out a one-all draw in their mid-table clash at Pune's Balewadi Sports Complex. MFC stay in fifth place with 33 points while PFC remain seventh with 30 points as both sides have played 24 matches.
After a goalless first session substitute Singam Subash Singh gave Pune FC a 65th minute lead, but six minutes from time Mumbai FC's Ebi Theophilus Sukore would equalise for his team and the game ended in a stalemate.

Here all I-League Round 15 match reports


Round 17
15-May-2011: JCT 2-2 (0-2) Chirag United SC (in Ludhiana)
JCT scored a vital comeback 2-2 draw against Chirag United SC at the floddlit Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana. The point gained today takes JCT into 11th spot with 24 points from 24 matches out of the relegation zone, while Chirag United SC stay mid-table with 28 points from 24 matches.
The Kolkata side have only themselves to blame of not picking-up the three points. Their Brazilian striker Josimar da Silva Martins gave them a 2-0 half-time lead with goals in the 28th and 35th minute and it seemed the game was theirs, but JCT turned things around after the break. First Rahul Kumar reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute, then Gurtej Singh Jr. equalised in the 59th minute and it stayed two-all until the end.

Here all I-League Round 17 match reports


Round 18
15-May-2011: Indian Arrows 1-3 (0-1) Salgaocar SC (in Gurgaon)
Salgaocar SC returned to winning ways with a 3-1 away win against the Indian Arrows in their postponed Round 18 match. The Goans are now top of the league again with 50 points from 24 matches, while the Indian Arrows stay on 26 points from 25 matches.
Initially it was the Arrows who put pressure on Salgaocar, but against the run of play the Goans took a 22th minute lead through their Japanese recruit Ryuji Sueoka. 10 minutes later the Arrows got a golden opportunity to equalise, but Lalrindika Ralte blasted his shot over the goal after he himself had been brought down. It was Ryuji Sueoka again who doubled the lead i the 63rd minute, but the Arrows stayed in the game when Holicharan Narzary reduced the deficit in the 80th minute, but a Cajetan Fernandes header a minute from time ensured Salgocar would take home the three points.

Here all I-League Round 18 match reports


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