By IANS
Margao : Junior Elijah struck a fine brace as Sporting Clube de Goa moved away from the relegation zone of the I-league with a 3-0 win over Viva Kerala, at the Nehru Stadium here Tuesday.
The Nigerian striker scored twice for the first time in the I-League after Harmanjot Khabra had put the home side ahead with an opportunistic finish.
Relegation-threatened Sporting Clube with 16 points are now placed sixth and can breathe easy, for the moment. Viva Kerala (12 points), however, face an anxious wait in the remainder of the four matches.
Sporting Clube was in remarkable form as they produced the kind of football that made them such a big hit, at the start of the season.
Just four minutes into the match, Junior Elijah did well to round off Viva defender Tabia Othollo, but ended shooting straight into the legs of goalkeeper T. Purushothaman. Mickky Fernandes made a mess of the rebound from close range.
Minutes later, Sporting Clube had a narrow escape as C.S. Saleel dragged his shot off target from inside the penalty area after being fed on the platter by Badmus Babatunde.
Sporting moved up almost immediately as Harmanjot Khabra managed to back-flick a Rajesh Meetei corner past a bemused looking Viva defence.
At the half hour mark, Junior Elijah struck his first goal and Sporting Clube’s second.
Wilton Gomes broke free on the left and send a high cross into the penalty area, which Elijah managed to control with grace, sidestep his marker and send a low shot past a diving Purushothaman.
At break, Sporting Clube had the match in their pocket. However, Elijah effectively killed the match in the 70th minute when he got in between two markers to slide a Lawrence Adjei corner into the net.
Viva Kerala shone in patches, most particularly at the start of the second session, but lacked the bite in attack.
Sporting Clube goalkeeper Luis Barreto also frustrated the rivals with some fine saves. His outstanding save off Badmus Babatunde at the fag end of the match, perhaps, had won him the man-of-the-match honour.