It was indeed a game of two halves but Salgaocar Sports Club’s performance in the second half was more fulfilling after a 3-2 win over East Bengal at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Thursday. For 45 minutes, Salgaocar looked all drowned as they were trailing 2-1. The fear of East Bengal’s midfield dominating the centre came true with Pen Orji, Mehtab Hussain, Sushanth Mathew and Harmanjot Singh Khabra making Salgaocar look ordinary with strikers Tolgay Ozbey and Baljit Sahni constantly on the prowl.
East Bengal’s Australian striker Tolgay Ozbey created the first opportunity in the very 3rd minute when he picked up the ball from his own half and outpaced Salgaocar defender and captain Luciano Sabrosa and unleashed a snap shot which missed the mark narrowly. The Red and Gold brigade finally shot into the lead in the 10th minute through a penalty. East Bengal goal poacher Ozbey was tripped by Salgaocar stopper back Irungbami Meitei inside the box and Delhi referee Mohammed Kamil pointed to the dreaded spot.
Ozbey fired to the left of Salgaocar keeper Karanjit Singh to put his team in front. Salgaocar’s players disputed the penalty, claiming it was not a penalty but the referee stood to his ground.
On the other hand, Salgaocar were on the receiving end most of the time especially in the opening session. The second reverse took the wind out of the Salgaocar side when striker Baljit Sahni gently tapped the ball in off a defence splitting pass by striker Ozbey via hardworking Pen Orji from the left in the 16th minute.
East Bengal continued their hard work and nearly made it 3-0 but Salgaocar’s keeper Karanjit was equal to the task to block Ozbey’s blistering right footer. Bengal had a chance to inflate their tally but midfielder Orji ballooned over from close range after being fed by Ozbey on the left flank.
But the setback was just what Salgaocar needed to spur them on. In the 33rd minute, Salgaocar reduced the margin through left back Rino Anto. Following a throw in from Rino on the left, went to midfielder Gilbert Oliveira and the latter essayed a fine pass to Rino, who unleashed a left footer which dipped into the net easily.
Changing ends, Salgaocar put up an improved performance. Francis Fernandes was brought in for Anthony Barbosa as substitute and the pint-sized midfielder quietly brought about the changes. He gave East Bengal a taste of their own medicine moving down the left with a three-man move that Salgaocar were proud of.
Salgaocar’s equaliser came in the 79th minute through man-of-the-match Cajetan Fernandes, following a well-executed free-kick taken by Japanese Ryuji Sueoka from the right, which saw Bengal’s rearguard crumble and a lurking Cajetan nicely nodded in much to the applause of Salgaocar’s supporters.
Salgaocar’s veteran striker Yakubu Yusif exploited the lack of pace in the centre of Bengal’s defence and confirmed Salgaocar’s victory scoring the match-winner in the 84th minute. Following a floater by Rino from the left, saw Yakubu judge the flight of the ball to perfection to coolly head home to the thundering applause from the Salgaocar fans.
Earlier, Bengal’s keeper Jayanta Pal came to his side’s rescue by fisting away a left footer drive from Rino Anto. Salgaocar coach Karim Bencherifa and his East Bengal counterpart Trevor James Morgan had verbal exchanges.
Salgaocar coach Karim Bencherifa was all praise for his team which showed greater character.
“The results tell that we dominated the second half. The team has always shown great character to come back and always carried a fighting spirit. I asked them to put up a better performance to win this match so that we could enjoy the top position on the League table,” Bencherifa stated.
“It is a huge relief and also great satisfaction that everyone worked hard. This victory is one which I can savour with my boss Shivanand Salgaocar,” Bencherifa concluded.
East Bengal coach, Trevor James Morgan was upset that his team conceded needless goals.
“We should have won the match but unnecessarily invited pressure. Although I am happy with our performance yet I am unhappy with the refereeing. The title race is wide open as we have three matches remaining to play and I believe my side will bounce back after the defeat when we take on Churchill Brothers on Sunday,” concluded Morgan. - Sports Reporter DLP
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