I-League: Mohun Bagan sink Churchill to go top of table

Barasat (West Bengal), Dec 10 (IANS) Mohun Bagan blanked a lacklustre Churchill Brothers 5-0 in a lopsided I-League clash at the Vidyasagar Krirangan here to go top of the points table on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Dipanda Dicka (33rd, 46th minutes) scored twice for the hosts with Ansumana Kromah (23rd), Sheikh Faiaz (48th) and Sony Norde (84th) netting the other goals. Bottom placed Churchill failed to create chances of note.

Mohun Bagan now have seven points from four games, edging past Minerva Punjab FC who have the same number of points but are placed second due to an inferior goal difference.

Churchill remain rock-bottom in the 10-team I-League table with two losses in as many games.

The hosts dominated the first half from start to finish with the only body blow being Yuta Kinowaki's injury in the fifth minute.

The Japanese midfielder had to be taken off and headed straight to the hospital for treatment. He was replaced by Shilton D'Silva.

Later, Arijit Bagui and Kromah also injured themselves and had to be substituted. Star forward Norde was also seen clutching his right knee quite a few times in the second period. He was writhing in pain after scoring the last goal of the match.

Faiaz also struggled with a knock and was seen lying on the field towards the end of the game.

Barring these injury concerns which may trouble Mohun Bagan in future matches, it was smooth sailing for Sanjoy Sen's wards.

In the 18th minute, Dicka had a glorious chance to score the opening goal after Kromah set him up, but the former Shillong Lajong marksman missed the second post by some distance.

The Churchill defence looked all at sea with no cohesion whatsoever and Karthik Govindswamy picking up a yellow card in the process.

Moments later, Kromah gave his side the lead after Faiaz played him through from a corner.

Churchill's Nigerian defender Osagie Monday put in a sliding tackle but could not get to the ball leaving space for Kromah to find the back of the net. Kromah however, did not celebrate the goal against his former employers.

Dicka doubled the lead 10 minutes later, running at the porous rival defence and slotting the ball into the far corner with his left foot.

Churchill failed to muster any real chance as Mohun Bagan led by two goals at halftime. Soon after the restart, Mohun Bagan put the match to bed with two quick goals.

First Dicka doubled his tally after Faiaz beat Emuejeraye Precious for pace and crossed for his teammate who stabbed home from close at the near post.

Two minutes later, Faiaz scored his first goal in the I-League, slotting into an empty net after Kromah set him up from inside the box with Churchill's Monday to blame for some horrible marking.

Norde put the icing on the cake in his trademark style, cutting inside from the left inside channel and smashing in a low drive from the edge of the box past visiting goalkeeper James Kithan.