A highly polished performance from ASC saw them beat table-toppers ADE 4-1 in their BDFA Super Division encounter here at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Wednesday.
ADE, who needed just a point to be crowned champions, actually took the lead through Kavi Arasan but ASC’s quick-thinking forward line came to the fore as the match wore on.
If South United (10 points, six games), who play RWF on Thursday, and CIL (10 points, six games), who play HASC on Friday, don’t win their respective matches, ADE (16 points, seven games) will be confirmed champions. ADE play their last game against CIL on Monday. ADE, who eventually were reduced to 10 following Sunil Kumar’s ejection after a studs-on-chest challenge against Nitesh, started the brighter of the two teams and went ahead when Arasan slotted the ball home in the ninth minute. There was a moment’s worry as the ambulance was pressed into service but Nitesh walked away with what looked like a minor injury. ASC’s P Majumdar’s close range header restored parity in the 29th minute after keeper Mark Mascarhanas came out for the cross but was beaten by the flight.
ASC, who have nine points from seven games, had managed to get their attacking game going, went ahead in the 41st minute through Aroj Shaikh as their dynamic offensive players combined to recreate a carbon copy of their opening goal. The rattled ADE team further slipped immediately after the break as Lapka Tamang rounded off a good team move with a firm left foot drive from inside the box in the 47th minute. The movement and the interchange of play seemed to buffudle the ADE defence.
There was time for one more goal as Rajib licked salt into ADE’s wounds with a fourth in the 78th minute. The margin of victory could have been greater had ASC taken all their chances which came their way.
ADE, who are still in the driving seat to take the title, will quickly need to regroup for what could be a potential title-decider against one of their main challengers CIL. In the ‘A’ Division match, Postal Department’s Schelnmang continued his scoring streak as they downed TIlak Memorial 1-0.
Result: ‘A’ Division: Postal Department: 1 (Schlenmang 74th) bt Tilak Memorial: 0.Thursday’s fixtures: ‘A’ Division: LRDE vs AGORC; Super Division: South United vs RWF.