Thaindian News

Margao, Jan 23 (IANS) Sporting Clube de Goa completed a hat-trick of wins Monday with a 5-0 drubbing of Mumbai FC to log their best run in I-League football.

The big win over Mumbai FC in the 16th round at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda meant Sporting Clube calmed their nerves as they moved to the eighth spot with 23 points in their kitty.

After a barren first session, Anthony D’Souza opened the account in the 48th minute before James Moga headed home Sporting’s second goal in the 57th minute. Midfielder Macroy Peixoto then scored two quick goals in as many minutes as a tight match in the first session turned into a rout in the second when Ogba Kalu converted a penalty in the third minute of added time.

Sporting Clube had plenty of ball possession in the first session but lacked the final touch that would translate a good move into a goal.

The home side took the lead three minutes into the first session when substitute Ogba Kalu won a ball from just outside the box, dribbled past two defenders and laid the ball to Anthony who finished with elan.

Sporting made it 2-0 almost immediately as James Moga, typically, rose high above the defence to meet Freiman Peixoto’s cross close to the goal mouth.

Sporting clube were coasting at this stage as Mumbai FC were unable to stitch any good moves.

After being 2-0 down, Mumbai FC expectedly gave up and left plenty of spaces for their rivals to operate. It was a disaster waiting to happen and midfielder Macroy Peixoto made the visitors pay with two goals in as many minutes.

The first goal was fortuitous as his acrobatic shot - after Kalu’s attempt had bounced off the crossbar - sailed behind a badly positioned Mumbai FC goalkeeper Ishan Debnath.

Two minutes later, Macroy scored his second and the team’s fourth goal as he made a superb run to meet Freiman Peixoto’s through ball and place the ball at the far end.

There was still time for one last goal and that came in the third minute of added time when Kalu scored from the spot. The penalty was awarded after Dhanachandra Singh had brought down Dawson Fernandes.