Margao: Salgaocar played their heart out to
overcome a one goal deficit and edge out Mohun Bagan 2-1 in
the round 12 of the I-League here today.
Bagan's Japan recruit Sueoka Ryuji put them ahead in the
first half but the local favourites scored through Keita
Mandjou and Ekene Ikenwa on either side of the lemon break for
a morale-boosting win.
Salgaocar played with more determination in the first
half as they moved the ball around well and created a couple
of early chances but Avneet Singh Shergill and Keita Mandjou
failed to score.
Bagan who failed to combine themselves in the first half
created only one move which they scored.
Salgaocar did not lose hopes after the setback and put
the rival defence under pressure and the efforts paid off in
the 44th minute.
Milagres Gonsalves, from the right, sent a long lob into
the box for Keita Mandjou who chested the ball, controlled it,
beat defender N S Manju and send a low drive that beat keeper
Sangram Mukherjee to find the back of the net.
Salgaocar then went into the lead one minute after the
lemon break.
Francis Fernandes who raced with ball from the right
flank, beat couple of rival defenders and cut into the box
before laying a pass to Keita Mandjou who failed to connect
the ball, the ball came to Ekene Ikenwa who tapped in.
The goal was a wake up call for Bagan who regrouped after
the goal and nearly equaliSed five minutes later but Jose
Baretto's well-directed header was blocked by defender Luciano
Sabrosa.
Bagan coach Karim Bencharifa made couple of changes to
get the equaliser but even as Bagan pressed hard, the rival
defenders held firmly.
Towards the end, Bagan came close in finding the net but
Sueoka Ryuji's header lacked direction.
The win takes Salgaocar to 10 points from 11 matches,
while Mohun Bagan remained on 20 points from 12 matches.
Referee T Pradeep Kumar showed yellow card to Bagan's
Ishfaq Ahmed and Salgaocar's Rocus Lamare.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, January 28, 2010, 21:25