34th Federation Cup - Day 5: Dempo qualify for semis, Group C wide open
The 34th edition of the Federation Cup entered match day three for the Group A teams, while for the Group C teams it was the second round today. In Group A, favourites Dempo SC topped the group and moved into the semifinals, while in Group C three teams still have a chance to reach the semifinals.
Group A
Pailan Arrows 2-1 Shillong Lajong FC – Goals: 1-0 Holicharan Narzary (17′), 1-1 Ebi Theophilus Sukore (21′), 2-1 Prabir Das (67′)
After two draws, the Pailan Arrows, the AIFF Developmental side, finished their 34th Federation Cup engagements with a 2-1 victory against Shillong Lajong FC at the JRD Sports Complex to finish second behind Dempo SC.
Holicharan Narzary scored off a rebound to give the Arrows a 17th minute, but the joy was short-lived as four minutes later Lajong striker Ebi Sukore equalised. It remained 1-1 at the break.
Post the breather, the Arrows looked much more threatening in the final third. With Alwyn George now in the picture, the Arrows caused a lot of trouble for the Lajong back four. Their attacks stemmed from the flanks and in the 67th minute Prabir Das met one such floater from the left wing to give Arrows the much needed advantage. It stayed 2-1 until the end.
Mumbai FC 0-4 Dempo SC – Goals: 0-1 Clifford Miranda (23′), 0-2,0-3,0-4 Koko Sakibo (43′,79′,90′)
Former champions Dempo SC booked their ticket to the semifinals of the 34th Federation Cup after handing Mumbai FC a 4-0 trashing in the final Group A match at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur.
Clifford Miranda opened the scoring for the Goans in the 23rd minute of a Koko Sakibo pass in the 23rd minute to score his third in as many matches. Then the Nigerian doubled the lead with two minutes to go in the first session. Sakibo would complete his hattrick with two late goals in the 79th and 90th minute to seal Dempo’s passage into the semifinals.
The Goans topped their group with seven points from three matches and now await the winner of Group D which will be decided between Salgaocar FC and Pune FC tomorrow.
Group C
Kalighat Milan Sangha 2-3 Sporting Clube de Goa – Goals: 0-1 Mackroy Peixoto (12′), 1-1,2-3 Iyikwobe Christopher Chizoba (38′,72′), 1-2,1-3 Dawson Fernandes (43′,45+1′)
Sporting Clube de Goa scored a 3-2 win against newcomers Kalighat Milan Sangha at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri. With the win Sporting Clube moved to four points, while Kalighat MS remain without a point.
Sporting Clube de Goa took a 12th minute lead through a Mackroy Peixoto goal, but Kalighat Milan Sangha hit back with Iyikwobe Christopher Chizoba equalising in the 38th minute. Their joy was short-lived as Dawson Fernandes scored two goals in three minutes in the 43th and 45th+1 minute to give Sporting Clube a comfortable 3-1 half-time lead.
But the Goans made the match unnecessarily exciting in the second session as they allowed Kalighat MS back into the game as Iyikwobe Christopher Chizoba scored his second of the afternoon in the 72nd minute. It remained tense until the end with Sporting Clube winning the match 3-2 to move tofour points from to matches and with a real chance to qualify for the semifinals.
East Bengal Club 2-1 ONGC – Goals: 0-1 Katsumi Yusa (9′), 1-1 Chidi Edeh (45+2′), 2-1 Manandeep Singh (82′)
Kolkata giants East Bengal Club scored a 2-1 victory against a 10-men ONGC in their Federation Cup Group C match at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri.
East Bengal, who had been held to a 1-1 draw against Sporting Clube de Goa in the first round, paid the price of a slow start as ONGC impressed with speedy attacks through the flanks, one of which fetched them the ninth-minute lead when Katsumi Yusa slotted home making the most of a sharp pass from right-half Sorabuddin Mollick. But East Bengal reorganised its midfield thereafter, attacked and found the equaliser off a Chidi Edeh free-kick in the first half injury-time.
East Bengal emerged a transformed unit after the break and put pressure on ONGC, but the Oilmen put a strict vigil at the back and managed to hold off the East Bengal attacks till Yusa’s expulsion in the 78th minute. Manandeep Singh, who came in for Subodh Kumar in the 73rd minute, played the role of a super-sub to give East Bengal the winner in the 82nd minute and three crucial points in the fight for a semifinal spot.