Postponed I-League Games: HAL avoid the drop, East Bengal finish second

June 1 was an I-League match day for postponed Round 24 & 25 matches. The matches had been postponed due to Dempo's and East Bengal's AFC Cup commitments. In the end HAL avoided the drop with a 4-2 win against Dempo SC while East Bengal secured second spot with a small Kolkata derby win against Chirag United.


Match by Match Short Review
Round 24
01-Jun-2011: Dempo SC 2-4 (2-1) HAL, Bangalore (in Goa)
HAL scored a vital 4-2 comeback win against now former champions Dempo SC in Goa to retain their place in the I-League. HAL like Air India, JCT and ONGC finished on 24 points; but they survive the drop due to a better head-to-head record against JCT and ONGC, who have to go down to the 2nd Division. Dempo finished third with 50 points from 26 matches.
Only two days after having trashed Air India 14-0, Dempo were out playing again in their final league match with only second spot to play for. HAL took an 11th minute lead through former Dempo striker R.C. Prakash, but Dempo hit back with Ranty Martins Soleye scoring a brace in the 25th and 42nd minute to take his tally to an incredible 30 goals this I-League season.
After the break HAL would make an unbelievable comeback. First Xavier Vijayakumar would get the equaliser five minutes into the second session and it was once more Vijayakumar to give HAL a shock 68th minute lead. Dempo went all out to get the equaliser, but instead Valeriano Rebello scored an own goal in the 87th minute to ensure HAL's victory and their top tier status. After the final whistle it was celebration time in the HAL camp.

Here all I-League Round 24 match reports

Round 25
01-Jun-2011: East Bengal Club 2-1 (2-0) Chirag United SC (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.

Here all I-League Round 25 match reports


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