MARGAO
Sporting Clube de Goa couldn't cash in on home advantage as they played out a 1-1 draw with defending champions Mohun Bagan in their I-League encounter at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Tuesday. Both the teams were tied 1-1 at the lemon break.
The draw takes Bagan's tally to 22 points from 10 matches as they remain on top of the table. The point means Sporting Clube now have 13 points from 10 matches.
Bagan failed to put up the same performance which they displayed against Salgaocar and took the lead in the 28th minute through Brandon Fernandes, who received a defence-splitting pass from Haitan striker Sony Norde and the former beat the Flaming Oranje goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharaya for the opener.
Earlier, the home team had a golden opportunity to surge ahead but Nigerian striker Odafe Okolie could not control the ball after he was put on the platter by Man of the match Rowllin Borges. The home team controlled the waistline with international midfielder Rowllin orchestrating the attacks as they never allowed the Mariners to dictate terms.
The home side quickly got into their grooves and did most of the attacks and got the equaliser in the 38th minute when rival defender Raju Gaikwad put the ball into the back of his own net off substitute Vitorino Fernandes. The ball was swung into a crowded penalty box and Raju put it into the net.
Jolted by the equaliser, the Mariners tried to regroup and made a few attempts at the the Flaming Oranje goal. But they showed that they were bereft of ideas and failed to find the match winner. With the time running out, the Mariners muffed a golden chance as captian Katsumi Yusa failed to beat the rival goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya, off a well measured pass from Cornell Glen.
Crossing over, the Flaming Oranje raised visions of breaking down the Mariners' defence, dominating the proceedings for the first 20 minutes of the second half. In fact, they nearly fetched the match winner soon after resumption but Raju Gaikwad effected a goalline save to deny Odafe Okolie after the last named had beaten the offside trap
At the other end, Bagan almost found the match winner when striker Sony Norde sent a defence-splitting pass but Trinand and Tobago striker Cornell Glen's feeble push went straight into the safe hands of the rival goalkeeper. Glen fumbled again after Sony Norde laid him a good through ball. The Mariners goalkeeper Debjit Majumder came up with a few good save to thwart midfielder Glen Martins rasping shot.
SCOREBOX
SPORTING CLUBE 1 (Raju Gaikwad 38 own goal) drew with MOHUN BAGAN 1 (Brandon Fernandes 28)
