I-League - Round 7: East Bengal hammer ONGC; Goan challangers win it late

The seventh round of the 2012/13 I-League was played from November 23 to 25 across the country with only 16 goals scored across the seven matches. Kolkata giants East Bengal Club remain top of the I-League after round seven with a 5-0 trashing of promoted ONGC. East Bengal’s goals came from Chidi Edeh, Penn Ikechukwu Orji, Manandeep Singh, Lalrindika Ralte and Robin Singh. The red-and-gold now have 17 points from seven matches as they remain only unbeaten side in the league.

East Bengal’s closest challengers are Goan sides Dempo SC and Churchill Brothers SC, who both needed late goals to win their matches 1-0. Dempo scored a 90th minute winner through Joaquim Abranches against Air India, whom they last season hammered 14-0; while Churchill Brothers needed a second minute injury time winner through Lebanese striker Akram Moghrabi in Shillong against Lajong FC.

In other games, United Sikkim FC earned a deserving 2-2 draw away to Pune FC, while Mumbai FC were held to a one-all draw by Mohun Bagan AC in the first match in-charge for the returning green-and-maroon coach Karim Bencharifa.

Round 7 Results

23-November-2012: Prayag United SC 1-1 Salgaocar SC (Kolkata)
Goals: 0-1 Augustine Fernandes (41′), 1-1 Bello Rasaq (58′)

23-November-2012: Sporting Clube de Goa 0-1 Pailan Arrows (Margao)
Goals: 0-1 Narayan Das (53′)

24-November-2012: Shillong Lajong FC 0-1 Churchill Brothers SC (Shillong)
Goals: 0-1 Akram Moghrabi (90+2′)

24-November-2012: Pune FC 2-2 United Sikkim FC (Pune)
Goals: 1-0,2-2 James Moga (1′,68′), 1-1 Ativi (26′), 1-2 Safar Sadar (27′)

24-November-2012: Dempo SC 1-0 Air India (Margao)
Goals: 1-0 Joaquim Abranches (90′)

24-November-2012: East Bengal Club 5-0 ONGC (Kolkata)
Goals: 1-0 Chidi Edeh (26′), 2-0 Penn Ikechukwu Orji (51′), 3-0 Manandeep Singh (66′), 4-0 Lalrindika Ralte (78′), 5-0 Robin Singh (83′)

25-November-2012: Mumbai FC 1-1 Mohun Bagan AC (Pune)
Goals: 0-1 Odafe Onyeka Okolie (20′), 1-1 Abhishek Yadav (61′)