I-League - Round 18: Churchill Bros held, East Bengal beat Pune FC

The eighteenth round of the 2012/13 I-League was played from January 24 to 28 across the country with only 15 goals scored across seven matches as Churchill Brothers SC continue to lead in the league table.

But Churchill Brothers winning run came to an end as they were held to a goalless draw by Munbai FC at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune, which allowed East Bengal to reduce the gap at the top with a crucial 2-1 away win against Pune FC, who with this loss are for the moment out of the title race.

Dempo SC meanwhile remain third with 34 points, but needed an injury time equaliser from Peter Carvalho to equalise against an inform ONGC, who had gone ahead through former international Jatin Singh Bisht as they remain undefeated under Santosh Kashyap.

Meanwhile at the other end of the table Mohun Bagan AC gained only their second point from 13 matches as Ranty Martins Soleye scored a late equaliser for Prayag United SC in the small Kolkata derby at the Kalyani Stadium after Tolgay Ozbey had given the green-and-maroon the lead with his first goal of this I-League campaign.

The goal of Round 18 was scored by India defender Anwar for United Sikkim FC, who surprised all with his skill in his side-volley goal but it wasn't enough for USFC to get all three points against the Pailan Arrows, who equalised just three minutes from time through substitute Tirthankar Sarkar.


Round 18 Stats

27-January-2013: Dempo SC 1-1 ONGC (Mapusa)
Goals: 0-1 Jatin Singh Bisht (37'), 1-1 Peter Carvalho (90+1')

24-January-2013: Mumbai FC 0-0 Churchill Brothers SC (Mumbai)
Goals: none

27-January-2013: Prayag United SC 1-1 Mohun Bagan AC (Kalyani)
Goals: 0-1 Tolgay Ozbey (49'), 1-1 Ranty Martins Soleye (89')

28-January-2013: Sporting Clube de Goa 2-0 Salgaocar FC (Mapusa)
Goals: 1-0 Ogba Kalu Nnanna (60'), 2-0 Angel Berlanga (67')

28-January-2013: Pailan Arrows 1-1 United Sikkim FC (Kolkata)
Goals: 0-1 Anwar (74'), 1-1 Tirthankar Sarkar (87')

25-January-2013: Pune FC 1-2 East Bengal Club (Pune)
Goals: 0-1,1-2 Chidi Edeh (6',75' pen), 1-1 Izumi Arata (16')

28-January-2013: Shillong Lajong FC 2-2 Air India (Shillong)
Goals: 0-1 Ezeh Nna Henry (16'), 1-1,2-2 Sho Kamimura (16',90+3'), 1-2 Prakash Thorat (64')