Salgaocar continue surge

Striker Samir Abbas, guilty of missing a chance each in both halves, consolidated the lead in the 17th minute. Man-of-the-match, Nigerian recruit Omolaja Olalekan, sealed their fate with a 58th minute goal.

Mahindras pulled one back in injury time through substitute Khalid Jamil.With this win, Salgaocar tied up with Air-India, who also have 21 points, to be placed second on account of better goal difference from 13 matches. Mohun Bagan head the table with 23 points from 11 matches.

Mahindras, suffering their fourth consecutive loss in the second leg, are bottom-placed with five points from 13 matches and are certain to be relegated.

Mahindras, who recruited two Lagos players EmetoOlonginus and Onye Bobinna to boost their attack, failed to impress. Salgaocar8217;s Bruno Coutinho was shown the yellow card by referee Inayatullah Khan for rough tackle.

Salgaocar played an attacking game from the start and dominated for the first 20 minutes.

Salgaocar drew first blood in the fourth minute following a flag kick. Coutinho8217;s flag kick into the box was cleared by Mahindras defender Sanjay Dayal, but the ball fell at the feet of defender Robert Fernandes who volleyed an angular shot to the far end of the net.

Salgaocar kept on piercing the rival defence as they found a lot of space in the rival area. They had a good chance four minutes later, but Samir Abbas ballooned it over, with only 8216;keeper Manoj Jaggi to be beaten.

Eight minutes later, Abbas was guilty of missing yet another chance. Coutinho tapped the ball to Fernandes off a free-kick. Fernandes, in turn, relayed to Abbas into the box, but his shot flew over the bar.

However, Abbas found the target in the 16th minute. Mahindras8221;keeper Jaggi blocked a fine header from Omolaja, but a closely following Abbas slammed the ball into the net.