I-League - Round 1: A high scoring start to the season!

The 2012/13 season of the I-League kicked-off on October 6 with four matches across India with three further matches on October 7/8 and the 14 team league will run 26 rounds until late-April 2013.

The I-League kicked-off with a bang as 26 goals were scored in only seven matches at an average of 3,71 goals per match. Interestingly three of those matches ended in 3-2 home victories though there was a goalless draw amongst the games between Sporting Clube de Goa and East Bengal Club which spoiled the stats, while big spending Prayag United SC went top of the league after Round 1 following a 5-1 trashing of Air India.

The positive surprise of the opening round were newly promoted United Sikkim FC, who infront of their home fans at the Paljor Stadium in Gangtok scored a 3-2 comeback victory against 2010/11 I-League champions Salgaocar SC.

The negative one of the opening round goes to Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan AC who continued their poor run of form under new coach Santosh Kashyap as they suffered a 0-2 away loss to Shillong Lajong FC.


Round 1 Stats

06-October-2012: United Sikkim FC 3-2 Salgaocar SC (Gangtok)
Goals: 0-1 Ángel Guirado Aldeguer (50'), 1-1 Salau Nuruddin Olawale (52') , 1-2 Milagres Gonsalves (56'), 2-2 Lineker Machado (64'), 3-2 Sandesh Jhingan (75')

06-October-2012: Pailan Arrows 3-2 Mumbai FC (Kolkata)
Goals: 1-0,3-2 Holicharan Narzary (34',76'), 1-1 N.D. Opara (39'), 1-2 Sargolsem James Singh (45'), 2-2 Ongnam Milan Singh (50')

06-October-2012: Dempo SC 2-1 Churchill Brothers SC (Margao)
Goals: 1-0,2-1 Ryuji Sueoka (2',74'), 1-1 Roberto Mendes Silva (47')

06-October-2012: Shillong Lajong FC 2-0 Mohun Bagan AC (Shillong)
Goals: 1-0 Boithang Haokip (63'), 2-0 Lalramluaha Hmar (90')

07-October-2012: Sporting Clube de Goa 0-0 East Bengal Club (Margao)
Goals: none

07-October-2012: Prayag United SC 5-1 Air India (Kolkata)
Goals: 1-0,2-1,3-1 Ranty Martins Soleye (13',32',57'), 1-1 Micky Fernandes (23'), 4-1 Asif K. (65'), 5-1 C.K. Vineeth (80')

08-October-2012: Pune FC 3-2 ONGC (Pune)
Goals: 1-0 Pune FC 3 Jeje Lalpekhlua (22'), 2-0 Singam Subash Singh (47'), 2-1 Jatin Singh Bisht (55'), 2-2 Katsumi Yusa (62'), 3-2 Shanmugham Venketesh (72')