Margao: Salgaocar continued their impressive
run when they scored an emphatic 3-0 win over HAL in the 17th
round of the I-league played at Nehru Stadium here on Friday.
After a goalless first half, Yusif Yakubu (60th), Gilbert
Oliveira(70th) and substitute Ekene M Ikenwa(90th) scored the
goals.
Salgaocar who are at the top of the table, consolidated
their position with 40 points from 17 matches while HAL
remained on 19 points from as many outings.
Salgaocar who made two changes in the starting line up
bringing in Rino Anto in place of injured Jaspal Parmar and
Baldeep Singh in place of Tomba Singh, started on a positive
note with?short crisp passes and had the early chance to surge
ahead but Francis Fernandes try sailed inches over the bar.
Salgaocar who?held the sway over the proceedings created
ample scoring chances but could not score in the first half as
their strikers were wayward in shooting.
Yusif Yakubu was unlucky to see his header saved on the
goal line by defender Goutham Debnath after goalkeeper miss
judged the flight of the ball to thwart Ryuji Sueoka cross in
the 20th minute.
However, Yakubu managed to find the net in the 37th
minute but was pulled off side by referee M B Santosh Kumar.
Salgaocar continued to dictate terms with Substitute
Tomba Singh spearheading the attack from the middle who came
in place of Baldeep Singh in the first half and Salgaocar shot
into the lead in the 60th minute.
Gilbert Oliveira once again was at his best on the
right flank laid a pass to Yusif yakubu who dribbled past a
defender before drilling an angular drive to find the far
post.
Three minutes later Ryuji had a glorious chance to
increase the lead but he drove the ball out from inside the
box off Ibungbam Meitee pass.
Salgaocar than came with a swift counter move and
increased the lead ten minutes later.
Ryuji Sueoka from the left relayed the ball to Francis
Fernandes who sent a deep goal mouth cross which beat the
entire rival defence and keeper and the ball went to unmarked
Gilbert Oliveira who shot the ball into the empty net to earn
himself the Man of The Match award for the second time.
Substitute Ekene Ikenwa than sealed the victory when
he found the net in the 90th minute?from close.
Referee M B Santosh Kumar showed yellow card to HAL?s?
R Srikanth, Ankit Sharma and Salgaocar?s Luciano Sobrosa.
PTI
First Published: Friday, March 04, 2011, 19:36