Durand Cup 2022: Mohammedan Sporting beat FC Goa in opener
In the 2021 Durand Cup final, played at the same venue, Edu Bedia’s 105th-minute goal had helped the Men in Orange overcome the challenge set by the Kolkata side to lift the trophy for the first time in to get hands.
But on Tuesday it was time for the Kolkata giants to turn the tables as they clinched a stunning victory in the opening game of the 131st edition of Indian football’s oldest tournament.
Durand Cup 2022: FC Goa starts title defense against Mohammedan Sporting SC
Three first-team players – Hrithik Tiwari, Nemil and Phrangki Buam – made it into FC Goa head coach Deggie Cardozo’s starting XI when new signing Ayush Chhetri was called up as a substitute.
The young Gaur got off to a positive start as they carved out their first chance through Muhammed Nemil, whose long-range shot went just over the bar in the 8th minute.
Durand Cup 2022: Schedule, Results, Teams, Groups, Points Table, TV Broadcast and Live Streaming Info
This served as a kind of wake-up call for Mohammedan, who then began resorting to heavy pressing to frustrate his opponents.
It nearly bore fruit in the 30th minute as Kolkata recovered the ball and orchestrated a counterattack. The ball eventually landed at Vanlalzuidika on the right, whose perfectly timed cross found Pritam Singh in the box. However, the latter shot wide to Goa’s relief.
First blood
However, it was the Boys in Orange who drew the first blood just four minutes later as Nemil was back in the thick of the action.
The young midfielder got the ball outside the box and looked up to see the positioning of Mohammedan goalkeeper Shankar Roy before rolling it into the top left corner, leaving the goalkeeper and the rest of his team-mates speechless.
equalizer
The Black Panthers had to wait until the second half to equalize when 29-year-old Manipur forward Pritam Singh equalized in the 49th minute from a superb cross from winger Sheikh Faiaz.
Spurred on by a stormy home assist, Mohammedan brought on midfielder Faslu Rahman in the 78th minute of the game, and the 27-year-old headed the ball into the net to put Kolkata’s side ahead just six minutes later.
comfort target
Rahman was also instrumental in the third and final goal as he assisted skipper Marcus Joseph in the third minute of added time as he sealed the deal and scored the comfort goal.
Earlier, Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister of West Bengal, opened the tournament, which is the oldest in Asia and the third largest in the world.
CM is inaugurated
Next up for the Boys in Orange in the Durand Cup 2022 on Friday (19 August) is the Indian Air Force at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan.
Meanwhile, Mohammedan meets Jamshedpur FC two days later at the same venue.
