HASC despite an unimpressive performance snatched full points and is just a draw away from making it to the Elite I-League in the next season. On a cloudy Thursday, HASC posted a 2-1 win over NISA (Manipur) in the ONGC Second Division I League final round match at the Football Stadium here.
Needing a win to jump ahead of ONGC and top the league ladder, HASC looked toothless without both its Nigerians — Joseph Femi in defence and Fredrick Okwagbe upfront.
Any team, other than this Manipur side, could have nailed HASC what with even goalkeeper Amar Deb being jittery under the bar.
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After a drab first session, Karthigeyan, who came in for Fredrick, produced a gem out of the blue. With the entire NISA defence and custodian Premkumar Singh expecting him to pass, the wily medio sent in a long ranger from 30 yards screaming into the far corner of the net, four minutes in to the second half.
But that goal also was a wake up call for NISA. The Manipuris attacked from both flanks and reaped just rewards with Thomas Singh shooting home the equaliser in the 74th.
Xavier Vijaykumar, who was guilty of frittering away three to four easy chances, was benched by coach M. Muralidharan in the 86th minute and almost immediately came the match winner.
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Satish Kumar Jr., from an acute angle, beat the rival goalkeeper. Though NISA did make a couple of forays into HASC territory, the defence held out.
HASC is now on top with 15 points from six matches and plays Sesa in its last encounter in the next round while NISA remains on two. ONGC with 13 points from five matches and Vasco SC (Goa) 12 from six are the other teams in contention for the two berths.
Vasco SC, last year's relegated team, is breathing down both ONGC and HASC's neck, with a 4-0 rout of Oil India.
Koko Sakibo scored three goals with strikes in the 30{+t}{+h} (penalty), 76th and 83{+r}{+d} minutes to emerge as the leading scorer in this league with six goals while Joel Sequeira nailed home the other in the 58th minute.
Oil India along with Nisa and Sesa Goa are in the bottom rung with just three points.