MAPUSA (GOA): Kalu Ogba scored a hat-trick to guide Sporting Clube de Goa to an emphatic 5-1 win over Shillong Lajong FC in their 15th round I-League match here on Saturday.
This is one of the Shillong club’s worst defeats in their history and rivals the 4-0 defeat to East Bengal at home earlier in the season.
Lajong took the lead in the 14th minute through Taisuke Matsugae before Ogba restored parity in the 25th minute to go 1-1 at half time.
The Goan side then completely dominated the second half with Ogba spearheading the attack.
The Nigerian put his team ahead in the 59th minute and Boima Karpeh increased the lead six minutes later.
Ogba struck his third goal in the 67th minute to give the hosts a decisive edge before substitute Victorino Fernandes rounded the tally with a solo run in stoppage time.
Sporting have now taken their tally to 24 points and are closing the gap to Bengaluru FC, who still lead with 27 points.
Shillong Lajong remain in fourth place with 20 points.
Both teams started cautiously as they tried to gauge each other’s strength.
The visitors took the lead in the 14th minute when Matsugae met a long ball from the left by Boithang Haokip as he got the better of rival defenders Gonzalo Neila and Jovel Martins, before beating keeper Ravi Kumar with a low shot.
Stung by the setback, Sporting went into attacking mode.
However, Gonzalo was twice unsuccessful with headers while Ogba found the net via a bicycle kick but was ruled off-side by referee Pratap Singh in the 21st minute.
However, Ogba restored parity four minutes later when he superbly headed the ball off a long ball from the left by Mauvin Borges, which hit the upright before finding the net.
Sporting enjoyed more ball possession as they attacked relentlessly and had the best opportunity to take the lead in the 31st minute.
However, the visitors’ keeper, Lalthuammawia Ralte, blocked the ball by diving to his right.
Ogba put his team up in the 59th minute when he coverted Arturo Garcia’s low free kick into goal.
The Nigerian midfielder scored his hat-trick when he guided the ball into the net to put his team in the driver’s seat.
Karpeh earlier picked up a bad pass by Lallawmzuala in the midfield and, with five of the visitors chasing him down, the striker found the back of the net from the far side.
Substitute Vitorino Fernandes piled on the misery for Lajong when he ran through the defence and scored deep into stoppage time.
The Reds, who were playing in their white away colours, will now have to get up, dust themselves off, and get ready to face Dempo at home on December 21.
They will then face Mohammedan Sporting away on December 27 to close out the calendar year.
Lajong could slip to fifth place depending on the result of the United SC vs Pune FC match on Sunday.
United are currently in fifth on 18 points and a win against the slipping Red Lizards would take them one point clear of SLFC. (PTI)