Cuttack: Cameroonian striker Aser Dipanda Dicka (30th, 45+1), the top scorer of the last two editions of the I-League, opened his account this season with a brace of goals in Mohun Bagan’s 2-0 win over Indian Arrows here Saturday.
With this win Bagan rise to third spot with five points while Chennai City FC and East Bengal occupy the first two positions. Arrows suffered their second loss and remain on three points, courtesy their win against Shillong Lajong at the same venue.
Mohun Bagan not only dominated possession but also had all the goal scoring chances of the first half. As early as the second minute, Ugandan striker Henry Kisseka found himself in the clear inside the Arrows box but he hit wide with only the keeper to beat.
Then Dicka, in the seventh minute, got a free header from an Omar Elhusseiney cross from the left but he nodded straight to Prabhsukan Gill in the Arrows goal.
Kisseka missed a couple of chances but the first goal arrived in the 30th minute. Kisseka got hold of the ball outside the Arrows box on the right and bulldozed through three defenders and sent a cross past Gill for Dicka to score with a diving header.
However, just before the end of the half, Pintu Mahata, who had switched flanks, cut in from the left and his cross caught the outstretched hand of a defender and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Dicka slotted in for his and Mohun Bagan’s second of the game to give them the required cushion going into the break.
Though Arrows coach Floyd Pinto made some crucial changes in the second half, the scoreline remained the same as the Bagan held their fort firmly.