Margao: Victorino Fernandes scored a hattrick to guide Sporting Clube de Goa to a 4-3 win over East Bengal and keep their hopes alive for a place in the semifinals from Group A of the Hero Federation Cup, here on Tuesday.
Sporting, who came back strongly in the exciting second half, scored through Victorino Fernandes (1st, 56, 78th minutes) and Anthony Wolfe (44th) at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda. For East Bengal Ranty Martins (5th), Dudu Omagbemi (21st) and S Malsawmtulunga (78th) were the goal scorers.
Sporting, who finished their league engagements with six points from four matches, move to second place behind Dempo.
East Bengal remained on four points from four matches and are out of the tournament.
The second semifinal spot will be known tomorrow as Royal Wahingdoh, who are on three points, need a win against Dempo with a 2-0 margin to qualify for the knock-out round.
Knowing that only a win would keep their chances alive, Sporting surprised East Bengal in the very first minute when Beevan D'Mello send a through pass to Victorino who raced into the box eluding a rival defender and after positioning himself send a curling shot that beat rival keeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury to his left to find the far post.
Unnerved by the early goal, East Bengal regrouped and made a counter move and equalised from a penalty in the fifth minute after Mohammed Rafi was brought down inside the box by rival defender Kofi Dankwae and referee Pratap Singh awarded the penalty spot which Ranty Martins converted perfectly.
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