I-LEAGUE Media Team

KOLKATA: Goals from Anthony Wolfe cancelled out another win for Kingfisher East Bengal, after Ranti Martins scored a brace and gave the Reds and Golds an early lead. 

Sporting Clube de Goa came from behind to record a 2-2 draw against East Bengal in the Gameweek 12 Hero I-League game at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday.

Eelco Schattorie elected to start with Ranti Martins and Dudu Omagbemi upfront with the surprise selection of Md. Rafique along with them.

His counterpart had his new signings on show as Odafa Okolie returned to his former hunting ground, while Mahmoud Al Amna started in midfield.

The first real chance of the match fell to the away side in the 16th minute when Beevan d’ Mello broke with the ball from an opposition corner. He managed to take it along, past the half line before poking it sideways to Amna who was unfortunately caught offside.

On the other side, Dudu was similarly caught offside after he headed into the goal from a beautiful long diagonal from Robert Lalthlanumna on the other flank.

The Red and Golds finally had the breakthrough in the 31st minute when a long hopeful ball from Milan Susak found Ranti Martins. The League’s top scorer made no mistake as he chested it down before shirking off the attention of his marker, Rojen Singh and beating Lalit Thapa who was caught off-position.

The rest of the half was a timid affair as neither team had a look at goal.

Although the Flaming Oranje looked more determined after the lemon break, it was Eelco Schattorie’s men who got the second with Ranti completing his brace. After Rojen Singh brought down Mama just outside the box, Ranti stepped up and swung one in past the wall and past a hapless Lalit Thapa in goal.

Just four minutes later, the away side had a way into the match through their marquee player, Anthony Wolfe. It was another set piece with Cajetan Fernandes taking a freekick from near the half line. In a goalmouth melee it was Odafa who climbed tallest to flick a header towards the far post where Wolfe was lurking.

Wolfe’s weak shot sneaked into the goal with Deepak Mondal making a mess of the clearance.

It was a diving block from Arnab Mondal two minutes later which prevented Odafa from finding the net, after he was picked out by Victorino Fernandes.

It was all level in the 77th minute however as Odafa was picked out beautifully by Wolfe down the right. The Nigerian pinged in a peach of a cross to the far post which found Victorino perfectly. The Goan’s shot was sailing clear of goal but Wolfe was there at hand to poke the ball in to complete his brace.

Among a clutch of chances for both teams in the dying minutes, especially with both Mama and Ralte missing a cross from the right by Sukhwinder, the match ended a stalemate.

Hero of the Match – Anthony Wolfe.