Hyderabad FC reclaimed the top spot in the ISL VIII standings with a dominating 4-0 win over SC East Bengal at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco on Monday.
Bartholomew Ogbeche (21st, 44th, 74th) scored a hat-trick to extend his lead in the goal-scoring charts. Aniket Jadhav (45+1) also got on the score sheet for the Nizams. The result takes them to the top of the table with 20 points, ahead of Kerala Blasters FC on goal difference.
Both the teams observed a minute’s silence as a mark of respect for Subhas Bhowmick who passed away on Saturday. Like ATK Mohun Bagan, SC East Bengal players also wore black armbands.
Ogbeche’s header escaped goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya’s grip and landed inside the net for the first goal. In the 41st minute, Hyderabad doubled the lead after a comedy of errors by the SC East Bengal defence allowed Ogbeche to score.
Aniket then added more misery by scoring the third after a couple of minutes. Ogbeche got his first hat-trick of the season in the 75th minute. SC East Bengal had a penalty but the spot-kick was saved well by Laxmikant Kattimani who correctly guessed Franjo Prce’s attempt.