USFC rides on Quinton’s hat-trick to down Aizwal FC 4-2

GANGTOK, 13 April: Requiring to win every one of its remaining three games, Bhaichung’s USFC stayed on course towards getting promoted to the first division by downing Aizwal FC 4-2 at a keenly contested and excessively aggressive match here at Paljor Stadium today.
The USFC win rode on the shoulders of a flawless hat-trick by captain, midfielder Quinton Jacobs who led from the front today. The victory, required as it was, is also significant because it was with a draw against Aizwal in the Siliguri leg that hiccups began for the USFC, a stumble it corrected only on 11 April here when it beat the pool toppers, ONGC Mumbai. With today’s win, USFC is back on the top of the pool with 21 points, one point ahead of ONGC. Only the top-2 teams from the Gangtok leg will get promoted to first division I-League. This position, USFC will, in all probability, hold only for one day because on Saturday, ONGC takes on Mohammedan Sporting. Should either of the teams win [there can also be a draw which case they share a point each] , they will move past USFC [ONGC stands at 20 pts and Mohammedan Sporting at 19 and each win earns 3 points].
At Paljor Stadium today, both teams put it all on the line, and this included all the rough tricks they had in their bags. A staggering 6 cautions were flashed in the match today, four to USFC players and two to Aizwal FC. In fact, two of USFC’s four goals came by way of penalty kicks, and this after the first penalty hit the woodwork.
For USFC, Daniel Bidemi Ayeni won the lead with a goal in the 38th minute, and the second half belonged to captain Quinton N Jacobs who scored in the 60th, 65th and 81st minute.
The match had its see-saw moment with David Lalrinmuana, the Aizwal captain, levelling the score in the 49th minute. It was shortly after this that Quinton was unleashed on the Aizwal defence and completed his hattrick. Towards the close of the match, Michael Lalremruata pulled one back for Aizwal, but the game had already run away from them by then and when the final whistle blew, USFC was home 4-2.
Earlier, in the first match of the day, Kalighat MS outplayed Royal Wahingdoh 2-0, both goals scored by Waheed Adekunle.