Debutants United Sikkim FC (USFC) started off their I-League campaign off to a great start as they handed Salgaocar a 3-2 defeat in their opening match.
The Times of India writes that USFC came back from behind to upset Salgaocar in a thrilling played at Gangtok on Saturday. After a dull first 45 minutes, the game exploded in second half when Angel Guirado gave the Goan club the lead in the 50th minute. A horrific misunderstanding between United Sikkim goalkeeper Yoon Tae and his defender allowed Aldecuer to head in a rebound from two yards out.
Milagres Gonsalves made the score 2-1 in favour of Salgaocar. Sikkim bounced back as Lineker Machado equalised in the 64th minute. Boosted by a boisterous home crowd, United Sikkim then took the lead in the 75th minute when defender Sandesh Jhingan headed home an Ashish Chettri free kick.
In another match played Mohun Bagan FC on Saturday suffered a shock defeat at the hands of hosts Shillong Lajong FC when the latter edged past them 2-0 in the I-League here. Boithang Hoakip scored the opening goal for the hosts in the 63rd minute.
The second goal was scored by Lalramluaha Hmar at the dying minutes of the game.
Meanwhile The Hindu writes that, Two horrendous errors by Mumbai FC custodian Sanjiban Ghosh enabled the AIFF’s experimental side Pailan Arrows win its opening I-League match 3-2 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday.
Up by a 34th minute strike from Holicharan Narzary, the AIFF team conceded two goals to N.D. Opara (39th) and James Singh (45) before recovering through a Milan Singh penalty conversion (54) and the winner from a Narzary strike (75).
The match was devoid of any enterprise or excitement as the two teams dished out very ordinary football on the opening day of the new I-League season. But for the three comical errors by the rival goalkeepers, the scoreline would not have looked so inflated.