I-LEAGUE Media Team
NEW DELHI: Gameweek 3 of the Hero I-League will be memorable for ways more than one, as this has been the most entertaining Round of this season so far – one which can really assert now that the Hero I-League has indeed arrived.
Following the end of the round, last season’s Second Division League winners Royal Wahingdoh FC still lead the league standings, with nine points, earned after three straight wins. Interestingly, defending Champions Bengaluru FC have failed to open their winning account so far.
Pune FC had the last laugh of the Gameweek, bringing a sensational performance to draw curtains on the Round. The Red Lizards got past Shillong Lajong FC with a whopping 5-2 scoreline – the highest margin of victory in any match so far this season – at Balewadi Stadium.
Indian youngster Thongkhosiem Haokip scored three times within a span of 15 minutes for PFC to record the fastest hat-trick by any player this season. The game also saw Darko Nikac and Ryuji Sueoka score for the home side, while Cornell Glen and Durga Boro were the ones to score for Lajong.
Although Boro’s long-range goal for the visitors could not be less praised, the man of the night was Haokip, whose first half antics gave PFC the massive win.
If that wasn’t all, newly-promoted Shillong outfit Royal Wahingdoh continued their stuff of dreams under Santosh Kashyap, as they got past debutantes Bharat FC in Pune. The 2-1 victory was enough to give them the three points for the third-straight time. A more interesting fact is that all the wins came away from home.
Kris Bright gave Bharat FC the lead, but RWFC came back via goals from Kim Song Yong and Seityasen Singh to record another sensational win.
One can now only wonder what performance they can produce at home – where they start their campaign against Bengaluru FC in the weekend!
BFC were touted to be the team to be beaten when the league started, owing to their last season’s, pre-season’s, and the Hero Fed Cup’s performance. However, having drawn their first game against Dempo, and losing the second against PFC, one must have felt that Ashley Westwood’s side might be returning with a bang in their third game.
However, Kingfisher East Bengal had other plans for them, when they were pitted against each other at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. A supreme performance from youngster Abhinash Ruidas, which also resulted in a goal, helped the Kolkata giants register a 1-0 victory against the defending Champions.
BFC are currently 10th in the league table, just above relegation-threatened Mumbai FC.
Salgaoacar FC and McDowell Mohun Bagan were locked in a goalless stalemate at the end of their Gameweek 3 match. The match saw Bagan being disallowed a goal when SFC goalkeeper Subrata Paul clearly put the ball inside his own goal, but the referee saw it as an alleged foul inside the box by Bagan forward Balwant Singh.
Top 3 Teams (in order of Ranking):
Royal Wahingdoh FC – 9 points
Pune FC – 7 points
McDowell Mohun Bagan – 5 points
Top Goalscorer:
Thongkhosiem Haokip (PFC) – 4 goals
