Durand Cup 2022: Mohammedan SC register emphatic comeback victory over defending champions FC Goa

Marcus Joseph scoring Mohammedan's third and final goal of the game. (Image Courtesy: Twitter/DurandCup)
Marcus Joseph scoring Mohammedan's third and final goal of the game. (Image Courtesy: Twitter/DurandCup)

In the opening game of the Durand Cup 2022, defending champions FC Goa suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of I-League side Mohammedan SC on Tuesday (August 16) at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. The Black Panthers rallied back into the game after going a goal down in the first half.

Coming into the tournament, the Gaurs opted for a squad that primarily compromised players who had participated in the Reliance Foundation Development League. Only four first-team players – Hrithik Tiwari, Muhammed Nemil, Phrangki Buam, and Ayush Dev Chhetri – are part of the squad for the prestigious tournament.

Mohammedan SC, on the other hand, are carrying their first-team squad into the tournament.

Right from the get-go, the Kolkata side looked a lot more proactive and dominated the progression of the play. Both sides had half chances in the opening exchanges but the first real chance of the game fell for Mohammedan in the 30th minute. Full-back Vanlalzuidika darted down the right flank and delivered a cross for Pritam Singh, who failed to keep his effort on target.

A minute later, Mohammedan SC had another opportunity through Marcus Joseph but failed to pull ahead. However, completely against the run of play, Mohammed Nemil broke the deadlock for FC Goa with a shrewd finish from outside the box. The 20-year-old spotted goalkeeper Sankar Roy out of position and calmly placed the ball into the back of the net.

The Gaurs went into half-time leading by a goal, while the Mohammedan frontline struggled to maintain their composure in the final third.


Mohammedan SC roar back in the second-half against FC Goa

After the break, Andrey Chernyshov's men were hungry to restore parity. The Black Panthers roared into the half and equalized the scores within three minutes. Sk Faiaz set off on a marauding run down the left before pelting in a neat cross inside the box for Pritam to tuck home.

In the 59th minute, the Kolkata giants came incredibly close to taking the lead if not for FC Goa shot-stopper Hrithik Tiwari. Mohammedan's Abhishek Ambekar provided an inch-perfect cross for Faslu Rahman, however, Tiwari produced a double save off the latter.

Mohammedan SC continued to march forward hoping to bag the three points but still lacked quality in the final third. However, in the 84th minute, Faslu rectified his earlier miss as he calmly tucked home a drilled cross from the left to give MDSC the lead.

Seemingly, the second goal from the Black Panthers opened the floodgates and they struck in quick succession. Marcus Joseph, in the 94th minute, put the game to bed as Faslu provided the assist this time.

Chernyshov's men bagged all three points in style and will now face Jamshedpur FC on August 21.

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Edited by Ankush Das