Salgaocar SC showed why they are one of the tournament favourites as they blew away ONGC’s challenge in a pre-quarter-final match of the ongoing 121st Osian’s Durand Cup at the Capital’s Ambedkar Stadium on Saturday.

Despite a soggy turf courtesy heavy rains, the Goans were simply unstoppable as they handed a 3-0 drubbing to the Mumbai team. With six points in two matches, Salgaocar are leading Group B, two clear of second-placed Tata Football Academy (TFA), who scraped past Border Security Force 1-0 in another match.

The two teams now play against each other on Monday, and a win there may see Salgaocar through to the quarter-finals.

Earlier, strikes by Eduardo Lacerda, Bijen Singh and substitute Anil Kumar helped Subhash Bhowmick’s team post their second consecutive win in the tournament.

The victory margin could have been even bigger if Salgaocar had another striker to support Bijen. And Bhowmick admitted that. “We do need a striker who can open up and convert chances,” he said later. Eduardo opened the account for Salgocar in the 33rd minute, using his height to good effect, and nodding home Bevan D’Mello’s corner from the right.

Eight minutes later, Bijen doubled the margin as the striker chested a Bevan cross, and chipped the ball to the far corner. Anil, who replaced Bungo Singh in the 70th minute, put the final nail in the coffin with a right-foot finish in the 85th minute.