Mohammedan Sporting register vital win

Despite Cajetan Fernandes scoring on his 25^th birthday for Sporting Clube de Goa, they went down fighting 1-3 to a determined ten men Mohammedan Sporting in the Aiff’s I-League at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on Friday. 

Mohammedan’s led 2-1 at the breather.Sporting Goa debutant, Martins Ekwueme nearly made the perfect start for his new employer, but the Nigerian midfielders shot from close range came back of the cross bar.

Mohammedan’s took the lead, as early as the 12^th minute through former Sporting Goa defender Luciano Sabrosa who converted a penalty, after Keenan Almeida was adjudged to have brought down Josimar Da Silva in the box.

Sporting Goa went on the attack immediately and nearly equalized, but Captain Victorino Fernandes was crudely brought down by Luciano just outside the box, which earned the Brasilian a yellow card.

Mohammedan’s managed to double their lead just 12 minutes later, when Josimar was lurking and smashed in a rebounded shot.

Seven minutes before the interval, Mohan Raj sent in a low diagonal ball from the left flank, which eluded everyone in the box, but fell to the feet of Cajetan who drove the ball across the goalkeeper into the corner of the net.

Just before the break, Sporting Goa’s Beevan D’Mello did well to intercept the ball from defender Wadoo, but soon found himself wrestled to the ground, which led to Wadoo’s expulsion from the game.

Changing over, Sporting Goa battled tirelessly and bossed the possession for large periods, but failed to break down an organised Mohammedan defence.

The former Sporting Goa Custodian Luis Barretto pulled off, half a dozen saves for Mohammedan’s to prevent an avalanche of attacks from the Flaming Oranje late on.

With seven minutes left on the clock, Mohammedan made sure of the three points, when a corner was flicked on, which fell to an unmarked Nirmal Chhetri who planted his header into the back of the net.

SCG Press