Easy for BMFC, Vasco

Although BMFC dominated the proceedings, they had only one move in the first session to shout about. Nigerian striker Emeka Achelifu was put through by medio Abdullatif Seriki in the 18th minute and the former dribbled past Tigers’ defence with a fine sidestep but was brought down by Sujith. However, Referee Dinesh Nair denied BMFC any benefit.

A few seconds before the breather, Adil Ansari put BMFC ahead with a gentle tap. Striker Uday Konar released Emeka and the later laid the ball for Ansari to put his team ahead.

Emeka, who scored a hat-trick in his last match against HAL, failed to convert a penalty in the 53th minute whichwas awarded when he was brought down in the box by medio Bhaskar. The lanky striker, who is moving to Calcutta to play for Mohun Bagan next season, missed another chance to extend the lead, when he won a ball from Tigers defence but shot straight to the Rayalseema ‘keeper Gaisuddin’s body.

Emeka finally found the target seven minutes before the final whistle when he nodded in substitute Herbert Philip’s high cross from right.

In the second match, Vasco started off late. After a barren first-half, captain Mathew D’Costa headed in Climax Lawrence’s cross from right in the 49th minute. Lawrence increased the lead with a fine rebound goal in the 62nd minute. Striker Premanand Gadekar unleashed a powerful right-foot shot and IAF ‘keeper BS Negi failed to fist it out. Closely lurking Lawrence rammed in the net from close.

IAF exhibited a tight man-to-man marking in the first half as they thwarted the Vasco strikers. But the airmen from Delhi fell short of gas in the second-half as they conceded two goals in aspan of 13 minutes.