Mohammedan Sporting recorded their second win on the trot in the Durand Cup, beating Jamshedpur FC (JFC) 3-0 in a Group A encounter at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Sunday.
In Guwahati, Army Green defeated NorthEast United FC 3-1.
Mohammedan Sporting took the lead in the 38th minute of the first half through Faslu Rahman who scored his second goal of the tournament. The local favourites then added two in three minutes through Abhishek Halder and Sheikh Faiaz, respectively.
Both teams began cautiously, trying to gauge each other’s strengths. Mohammedan Sporting’s talismanic striker Trinidadian Marcus Joseph created the first chance from a free-kick at the half-hour mark which missed the mark.
Then came the goal off a corner. Faiaz floated the ball in and towering centre-back Siaruat Kima, who also deservedly got the Man of the Match for a fantastic game, headed towards the goal. Mohit Singh Dhami. the JFC keeper, did parry it out but Faslu was at the right place to head in the rebound.
In the second half, Mohammedan Sporting brought in Halder in place of Christy Davis and the former instilled energy into the attack. At the other end, JFC’s Poojary missed a golden opportunity to equalise in the 66th minute.
Mohammedan Sporting got the second when Halder snatched the ball off a JFC defender and played it to Joseph.
They played 1-2 and Halder’s wonderful volley hit the back of the net. It was soon 3-0. Joseph found Faiaz with an impeccable through and the winger made no mistake with a clinical finish past Dhami.
Coach cautious
East Bengal begin their Group B campaign against Indian Navy at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday and coach Stephen Constantine said the game would give an idea on the way forward.
“We were the last to build our team and trained for, maybe, two weeks. There will be teething problems since the full squad hasn’t been able to practice together. But that doesn’t mean we will not fight for our space. We will give our all,” Constantine said on Sunday. “Everyone wants to see East Bengal on top but for that we have to work hard.” he added.
Brazilian recruits Eliandro and Cleiton Silva arrived on Sunday.
⚫ Today’s matches: TRAU FC vs Hyderabad FC (3pm); East Bengal vs Indian Navy (6pm). Live on Sports18 1.
