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Mohammedan SC took on RoundGlass Punjab FC in the I-League fixture at the Naihati Stadium on Sunday. The Black Panthers are competing at the top of the table and are currently two points behind league leaders Gokulam Kerala FC.
However, they faced a tough test against a rejuvenated RoundGlass Punjab FC, who have found form under recently appointed head coach Ed Engelkes. The Dutch coach had pointed to the win against the Indian Arrows as a source of motivation ahead of taking the field against Mohammedan SC.
The match kicked off with the Black Panthers getting their first chance, which did not amount to anything. Jaspreet Singh could not hold onto the ball but the defender took care of the danger.
Meanwhile, Ed Engelkes' inflicted some damage at the other end. Kurtis Owen Guthrie got past the opposition defense and finished the move with a goal. A few minutes later, Shankar Sampingiraj picked up a booking after a nasty foul on Brandon Vanlalremdika.
RoundGlass Punjab FC could have doubled their lead if Maheson Singh converted his chance but the midfielder missed a sitter from point-blank range. At this point, the away side had been dominating the proceedings. They kept the ball and opted to play out from the back.
The Black Panthers made an early substitution and scored the equalizer soon after. Nikola Stojanovic's left-footed volley from outside the box did the job for Chernysov's side.
However, things changed very quickly as RoundGlass Punjab FC grabbed another goal. Kurtis Owen Guthrie was gifted with an opportunity after some sloppy defending from Mohammedan SC'. The forward made no mistake in taking advantage of the situation.
The Black Panthers came close to equalizing through a Marcus Joseph attempt but Jaspreet Singh managed to deal with the danger.
Mohammedan SC unable to pass RoundGlass Punjab FC test
Andrey Chernysov made a few changes at the start of the second half in a bid to put on a fight. Asheer Akhtar and Abhishek Halder made way for Wayne Vaz and Milan Singh to come on and make an impact.
The Black Panthers tried controlling the game by holding onto possession. As the match progressed, Mohammedan SC tried to create goal-scoring opportunities but were unable to get past the final line of defense.
Rupert Nongrum was brought on by Ed Engelkes in the place of Kean Lewis while Andrey Chernysov replaced Brandon Vanlalremdika with Phrangki Buam.
RoundGlass Punjab FC substitute Rupert Nongrum managed to put the final nail in the coffin by scoring for his side. The goal completely changed the game as it brought daylight between the two sides. However, Chernysov's men did not stop pushing for a goal.
The referee blew his whistle with RoundGlass Punjab FC rejoicing over their win against a tough opponent and re-establishing themselves as one of the big sides in the competition.
