Pune: Pune FC kept their undefeated home record against Mumbai FC intact with a 3-2 victory and claimed temporary leadership of the I-League 2012-13 standings while East Bengal and Churchill Brothers registered wins in their respective second round matches.
Pune was spearheaded by Japanese midfielder Daisuke Nishiguchi’s all-round performance, which included scoring two goals and setting up the winner for Jeje Lalpekhklua at the Balewadi Sports Complex here.
Daisuke (7th) opened the scoring and then netted Pune FC’s equalizer in the 51st minute after Mumbai FC struck back through Evaws Quao (17th) and ND Opara (26th). Daisuke then set up Jeje (75th) in the clear to complete Pune FC’s victory.
The win took Pune FC’s points tally to six and leveled Pailan Arrows. However, a better goal scored tally gives Pune FC the edge.
Meanwhile, Akram Moghrabi scored a hatrick as Churchill Brothers hammered ONGC 5-0 to score their first win in the second round match at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda.
Churchill Brothers scored through Akram Moghrabi (17th, 30th and injury time of the first half), Roberto Silva(30th) and Bilal Najjarine(43th) and all the goals scored in the first half.
Earlier, last year’s runners-up East Bengal rode on a Lalrindika Ralte strike late in the second-half to pip United Sikkim FC 1-0 for their maiden win in a round two fixture.
The Bhaichung Bhutia-owned side put up a valiant fight to hold the Federation Cup winners to a goalless stalemate in the first-half that included few misses from East Bengal. But East Bengal made amend in the second-half as Ralte scored the winner through a freekick in the 82nd minute. (PTI)