I-League: RoundGlass Punjab get closer to title, Sudeva Delhi relegated

The Warriors are now five points clear off second-placed Sreenidi Deccan.

Sudeva Delhi FC became the first team to be relegated from the I-League 2022-23 after playing out a 3-3 draw against NEROCA FC at the Chhatrasal Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

In a match that featured plenty of quality goals, NEROCA took a two-goal lead through Bayi Kamo Stephane and Jourdaine Fletcher, which was quickly cancelled out by a stunning brace from Alexis Gomez before half-time. The Argentine completed his hattrick early in the second half and Sudeva seemed to live to fight another day until substitute Michael Kporvi equalised in the dying minutes of the game.

NEROCA had a dream start to the game and took the lead just four minutes in. From the left wing, Mirjalol Kasimov sent a cross towards the six-yard box, and Bayi Kamo Stephane, who got in behind Sudeva’s Sukhandeep Singh, found the springs to jump above the defender and send his header past the home captain and goalkeeper Priyant Kumar Singh.

NEROCA continued to have the upper hand after taking the lead. Tangva Ragui went close in the 18th minute, while Sweden Fernandes was just wide with his curling attempt ten minutes later. At the half-hour mark, Jourdain Ronaldo Fletcher doubled NEROCA’s lead. The Jamaican received the ball on the right wing and moved to a central position after shrugging off challenges from Sudeva’s Sujit Sadhu and took a stinging shot at goal, which comfortably beat Priyant.

Following the second goal, Sudeva Delhi finally woke up, and the front three of R Lalbiakliana, Seilenthang Lotjem, and Alexis Gomez started to see more of the ball. Three minutes from half-time, Gomez displayed a moment of brilliance and scored directly from a corner with a curling right-footer which struck the post before going in.

Four minutes later into the add-on time, NEROCA’s Lallenmang Sitlhou gave away a free-kick in the attacking third and from the dead ball, Gomez sent another curler, which hit the post before going into the back of the net to restore parity.

Six minutes into the second half, the Argentine scored from a corner kick for the second time to complete his hat trick and give Sudeva the lead for the first time in the game. This time Gomez aimed for substitute Shavkati Khotam from the corner, but his cross missed the Tajik and took a slight deflection off a white shirt on its way into the back of the net.

NEROCA tried to get back into the game, and Fletcher received a perfect opportunity to equalise in the 61st minute. The Jamaican took a free-kick just outside the penalty area, but his grounded shot was well wide.

In the 84th minute, Khotam had an opportunity to double the advantage for Sudeva. The substitute received a cross from Lalbiakliana at the top of the penalty area but failed to get the desired connection, as his weak effort went wide.

In the final minutes of the game, the Sudeva players calmly controlled possession. However, in stoppage time, a clearance from the NEROCA backline found substitute Michael Kporvi in the hosts’ half. From almost 25 yards out, the Ghanaian took a shot on the half-volley and caught the goalkeeper Priyant Singh off his line to score the equaliser.

RoundGlass Punjab take another step towards glory

RoundGlass Punjab took a step closer to claiming the I-League 2022-23 trophy after securing a 3-1 victory over Churchill Brothers at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The victory allowed them to open up a five-point gap over second-placed Sreenidi Deccan, and with just two rounds to go, Staikos Vergetis’ side can clinch the title with a win over Rajasthan United on Saturday.

RoundGlass Punjab’s Chencho Gyeltshen set up Luka Majcen to open the scoring for the home team in the first half, and then doubled the lead early in the second half with a goal of his own. Gyeltshen then turned creator again, assisting Juan Mera to add a third goal just before Martin Chaves scored a consolation for Churchill Brothers.

Right from kick-off, the hosts displayed their intention to dominate the match and created back-to-back opportunities. Mohammed Salah made a darting run on the left wing in the second minute to find Brandon Vanlalremdika who took a heavy touch, but it was followed by a move where Juan Mera picked out captain Luka Majcen with a lobbed pass.  The Slovenian, however, sent his header straight at Churchill’s goalkeeper Nora Fernandes.

After withstanding the initial onslaught, Churchill Brothers found some rhythm and started to create chances. In the 11th minute, Emmanuel Yaghr unleashed a powerful shot at the Punjab goal, but goalkeeper Kiran Kumar Limbu made a comfortable save. However, just before the half-hour mark, RoundGlass Punjab took the lead through a well-crafted move. From the left wing, Vanlalremdika sent a low cross for Gyeltshen, who deftly directed the ball towards Majcen. The Slovenian then took a first-time shot with the outside of his right foot, which beat Churchill goalkeeper Nora Fernandes to give RoundGlass Punjab the lead.

The second half started evenly as both sides battled for midfield supremacy, but it was in the 55th minute when Gyeltshen doubled the lead for the hosts. Ajay Chhetri won the ball in midfield and played a one-two with Vanlalremdika before laying a pass for the Bhutanese, who shimmied past Churchill’s Joseph Clemente before slotting the ball into the bottom corner with his right foot.

Following the second goal, Churchill enjoyed a period of 20 minutes where they got close to scoring twice. In the 61st minute, Chaves saw his volley saved by Kiran Limbu, while ten minutes later Sharif Mohammad hit the crossbar with his freekick on the left wing. However, in the 80th minute, RoundGlass Punjab virtually ended the contest when Gyeltshen made a run on the left wing and sent a cut-back towards the six-yard box, which Mera guided into the bottom corner as the entire Churchill defence was caught napping.

The Red Machines denied RoundGlass Punjab the clean sheet though. In the 84th minute, Chaves received a cross from Yaghr inside the six-yard box and the Uruguayan made no mistake in blasting it in from point-blank range. In the final few minutes, Staikos Vergetis’ men ensured that they hold onto their two-goal lead and secure a significant victory.