I-League Media Report

GOA: Sporting Clube de Goa earned themselves another year in the I-League after scoring a 4-0 victory over Pune FC in the concluding match at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Saturday.

Needing a win to be absolutely sure of relegation, Sporting Clube answered the call through a hat-trick from Odafa Okolie and another one from Sandesh Jhingan. Sporting Clube led 2-0 in the first session.

Sporting Clube’s hunger to score a win and escape relegation was evident right from kick off when Odafa Okolie, their star striker, cut past his marker and shot at goal where the keeper, Amrinder Singh, stood in-between. That chance was in the first minute itself and more was to follow.

In the eighth minute, Sporting defender Cressan Antao found the ball at his feet from Brandon’s corner but Antao fumbled from close range, sending the ball wide.

Pune FC were hardly in the game but T Haokip could have given his team an unexpected lead. The only Indian striker to score a hat-trick in this edition of the I-League found himself at the right end of Izumi Arata’s freekick but his tap landed straight where Sporting goalkeeper Ravi Kumar was positioned.

Sporting took the lead in the 27th minute after Alber Gonsalves won a penalty. The Sporting midfielder was working his way inside the danger zone where he was brought down by Salam Singh. Odafa scored from the resultant spotkick to give Sporting the lead.

Sporting made it 2-0 in the 41st minute after Brandon’s corner kick was turned into the goal by Sandesh Jhingan.

The hosts had several other chances to finish the match as a contest in the first 45 minutes but Odafa’s attempt struck the crossbar, Brandon’s effort was saved by the goalkeeper and Mahmoud Amna saw his attempt land straight into the body of an onrushing goalkeeper.

In the second session, Pune FC played a far better game and looked like they would claw their way back. There were a couple of chances that were missed but Sporting poured cold water on whatever hopes Pune FC were entertaining with another goal in the 69th minute. Mahmoud, the brilliant Syrian midfielder, once again put Odafa through and the Nigerian made no mistake, cutting past the goalkeeper and slamming the ball inside an empty goal.

There was time for Odafa to complete his hat-trick and it happened in added time when the Nigerian striker found himself all alone, ran a ring around the defenders and kept his cool to complete his hat-trick.

The victory took Sporting Clube to 23 points and the Goan side finished seventh on the table. Pune FC had to settle for the fourth spot.

Hero of The Match: Mehmood Al Amna (SCG)