I-LEAGUE Media Team

NEW DELHI: Round 8 of the Hero I-League has been sensational for the Kolkata Clubs in particular – as both Kingfisher East Bengal and McDowell Mohun Bagan recorded respective wins – and they both got a plethora of reasons to raise a toast following their respective matches.

Mohun Bagan got themselves a narrow 4-3 victory against Shillong Lajong on Friday at the JLN Stadium in Shillong. The three points not only decorated their unbeaten run in the league, but also took them to the top of the Hero I-League table for atleast a night.

India International Balwant Singh got a double in the game, and the other goals came from foreigners Katsumi Yusa and Pierre Boya respectively. The consolations for Lajong were brought by Cornell Glen, who also scored a brace in the game, and Uilliams.

If that was not all, there were fireworks all over Goa on Sunday evening as East Bengal hammered Dempo SC with a 5-1 margin at their home soil in Fatorda.

Prolific Nigerian talisman Ranti Martins had the first and the last laugh of the game as he took his goal tally to 10 in the league, out of seven games. All the five goals for the Red and Golds were slotted in by Ranti, as he became only the third player in the history of East Bengal to score 5 goals for East Bengal in a match; also the first player to net in 5 times for the Red and Golds in the history of NFL/I-League.

Costa Rican schemer Carlos Hernandez gave the consolation to Dempo through a first half penalty, but following that, it was the magic of Ranti that lit up Fatorda. The result also awarded Eelco Schattorie a first win as the East Bengal Head Coach.

Pune FC returned to the top of the table following a 1-0 result in a crucial top-of-the-table clash against Royal Wahingdoh at the Balewadi Stadium on Saturday.

The match saw immense hunger and desire from the North East side, as they created innumerable chances, but Santosh Kashyap’s side couldn’t make the comeback after Indian lad Thongkhosiem Haokip scored the solitary goal of the match in the first half.

Bengaluru FC and Mumbai FC continued their flying form with a win each against minnows Sporting Goa and Bharat FC respectively.

BFC got past the Flaming Oranje with a 3-1 margin, courtesy of goals from Sean Rooney (brace) and Beikhokhei. The match was kind of one sided and the only consolation for Sporting Goa was provided by substitute Anthony Wolfe in the second half.

Bharat FC and Mumbai FC collided in a one-sided Maharashtra Derby in Pune, and Khalid Jamil’s side got their first away win of the league after getting past the debutantes with a 2-0 scoreline. While Josimar got the first blood for the away side in the first half via a penalty, Sampath Katti Mani sealed the match for the Mumbai side with his goal in the 2nd half.

Top 3 Teams (in order of Ranking):

Pune FC – 15 points
 

McDowell Mohun Bagan – 14 points
 

Bengaluru FC – 13 points

Top Goalscorer:

Ranti Martins (KEB) – 10 goals from 7 games