Baljit Sahni fined 5 lakhs and suspended for head-butting Gregory Arnolin
Atletico de Kolkata midfielder Baljit Sahni has been handed a two-match ban and fined Rs 5 lakh. The midfielder who hails from Hoshiarpur in Punjab was shown the first red card of the current ISL season for head-butting FC Goa’s Gregory Arnolin .
"Baljit Sahni, Jersey No.6, player of Atletico de Kolkata has been suspended for next two matches of Hero Indian Super League and fined Rs 500,000 (Rupees Five Lakh only) for breach of All India Football Federation Disciplinary Code (Article 58) of Offensive Behaviour and Fair Play during Match 5 played between FC Goa Vs Atletico de Kolkata on 7th October 2015 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda Goa," read the ISL release.
The winger, who plies his trade for East Bengal in the I-League will miss the match on October 13th against Kerala Blasters FC in Atletico’s match at their home ground Salt Lake Stadium.
The match against Goa ended in a 1-1 stalemate as the reigning ISL champions Atletico, conceded a late goal. Baljit scored twice in 16 appearances as a key member of the Atletico side which clinched the inaugural edition of the ISL and will be hoping to contribute significantly to their title defence sooner rather than later. Atletico de Kolkata will also be without the services of their marquee player Hélder Postiga who was injured after scoring a brace in the first game of the season.
FC Goa sit at the top the ISL table with four points from two matches and Atletico de Kolkata trail them in the standings on goal difference having amassed the same number of points as their Goan counterparts from as many games.
FC Goa will face off against sixth-placed Chennaiyin FC on 11th October at the Fatorda Stadium.
In other ISL news, Delhi Dynamos shrugged off the disappointment of their opening round defeat to FC Goa as they beat Chennaiyin FC by a solitary goal scored by Brazilian Chicao from the spot in the 8th minute to record their first win in a closely contested match which took place in front of a 20,000 strong home crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The Marco Materazzi-coached Chennaiyin FC lacked sting in their attack with forwards Steven Mendoza and Balwant Singh failing to sync together. Chennaiyin FC, Mumbai FC and Northeast United FC have failed to open their points tally.
Northeast United FC will hope to open their account when they face FC Pune City at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune on 9th October ,2015.