Durand Cup: Mohammedan SC sink defending champions FC Goa in 3-1 comeback win

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 17 (ANI): Mohammedan SC were successful in avenging last year’s Durand Cup final defeat as they beat FC Goa 3-1 in a comeback win in the opening fixture of the Durand Cup 2022 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, on Tuesday.
Muhammed Nemil opened the scoring with a beautiful outside-the-box finish (34′) but three second-half goals from Pritam Singh (49′), Faslu Rahman (84′), and a stoppage-time goal from skipper Marcus Joseph (90+3′) were enough to seal the deal for the night.
The game commenced with the Gaurs going down the attacking right from kick-off as Muhammed Nemil took the first shot of the game from a long range but it failed to beat the keeper and was off target.
Both sides had a fair share of possession and maintained a constant attacking display as the game kept changing sides.
Mohammedan got into the scene in the 19th minute through a Nuriddin shot who fired one but it was nowhere near the target.
Ten minutes later, the I-League side built up a great play in midfield to find Pritam in the attacking zone from a pin-point cross by Zuidika, but the latter completely missed from the spot in what was Mohammedan’s first big chance of the game.
FC Goa breaks the deadlock through their prolific youngster Muhammed Nemil who pelts in a curler from outside the box as his shot neatly finds the back of the net to make it 1-0 for Deggie Cardozo’s men.
The Gaurs headed into the break with their noses in front as Andrey Cherynshov’s men trail.
The Black Panthers were quick to pounce on the Gaurs in the second half as they hit back with an equaliser by Pritam Singh after a brilliant cross from Faiaz who made a blazing run down the left to perfectly deliver Singh who slotted it past the keeper, making it 1-1.
The Gaurs’ waters were tested again when in the 59th-minute goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari had to make a double save to shun away the Mohammedan attack who were constantly finding themselves in the attacking third.
The custodian was again called into action in the 74th minute and did not disappoint as he made two saves in two minutes this time cancelling out Mohemaddan’s fiery and pacey counter-attack led by Marcus Joseph and Faiaiz.
Mohammedan’s constant nagging in front of the FC Goa goal brings fruition as a pumping header by Faslu makes it 2-1 for his side as he receives a well put in a cross by Thapa from the left wing and heads it with precision to find the back of the net in the 84th minute.
The I-League side kept their attacking momentum and found their third of the night through skipper Marcus Joseph who netted one late in stoppage time as the Gaurs were reeling away to their positions. (ANI)