I-League: Mohun Bagan end Sporting’s unbeaten streak in style

Mohun Bagan needed the guile of Odafa Okolie and Tolgay Ozbey as the two combined to deflate 10-man Sporting Clube de Goa 5-1 in a 23rd round I-League clash at the Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Sunday.

Odafa struck a hattrick in the second session and Tolgay added another two as Mohun Bagan climbed from the bottom spot with 16 points (from 19 matches) for the first time since being punished and asked to start from scratch in the competition.

Nigerian midfielder Ogba Kalu helped pull one back for the home side.

--> Sporting Clube looked in fine control of the proceedings on the artificial turf at Duler Stadium and had chances to draw first blood. But once Dawson Fernandes got sent off for a second bookable offence in the 40th minute, thanks to a needless handball, the advantage and initiative was with the visitors.

Bagan, though, had the first look at Sporting’s goal in the ninth minute when a misunderstanding in the Sporting defence allowed Odafa to snatch the ball and lay it for Tolgay, but the Australian striker delayed in taking the shot.

In the second session, once Sporting were reduced to ten men, Bagan flexed their muscles and soon enough they were ahead after Mathew Gonsalves was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the danger zone. Odafa converted without any problems.

Bagan were 2-0 ahead in the 73rd minute when Odafa found Tolgay all clear and the Australian only had to beat the rival goalkeeper.

The match came alive when Sporting Clube won a penalty as Nirmal Chhetri brought down Jovel Martins. Kalu took the penalty to make it 1-2 in the 74th minute. But any hopes of a comeback were immediately dashed as Tolgay scored the third and then Odafe added two more to complete his hattrick.

This was Sporting Clube’s first loss in seven matches, six of which were played at the Duler Stadium. Sporting continue to be in sixth place with 30 points.

the-aiff.com