MSC concede in injury time again, held 1-1 by FC Goa
Times of India | 22 September 2024
Kolkata: The way Mohammedan Sporting players sat on the Kishore Bharati Stadium turf after the final whistle on Saturday — some looking blank and others with face buried in their knees — said it all.
For the second game running, Andrey Chernyshov’s black-and-white brigade conceded a goal in the stoppage-time. Unlike their loss against NorthEast United FC in the opener, the ISL debutants managed to eke out a 1-1 draw against FC Goa in their second match.But it was a victory snatched away from under their feet at the death.
Having controlled the proceedings against Manolo Marquez’s visitors, Alexis Gomez became Mohammedan Sporting’s first goalscorer in ISL history when he deservedly put his team in front in the 66th minute, converting a penalty earned by his Brazilian striker Carlos Franca.
Spurred on by the partisan crowd, Chernyshov’s team looked headed towards a victory until FC Goa came calling in the fourth of the six-minute stoppage-time and spoiled the hosts’ party. Armando Sadiku — who joined the Goan outfit after being released by Mohun Bagan SG — turned out to be the party pooper, planting substitute Akash Sangwan’s cross with a powerful header from close.
While FC Goa — who lost 1-2 to Jamshedpur FC at home four days ago — escaped another defeat, Mohammedan Sporting faced another reminder of the adage that nothing gets over in football until it’s over.
Goa started on the front foot but the hosts gradually grew in confidence as the game wore on. Franca was a constant threat to the Goa box, drawing a couple of saves from the rival goalkeeper Laxmikanth Kattimani and hitting the crosspiece on another occasion in the opening 45 minutes.
FC Goa hold the record of scoring maximum away goals (124) in ISL history but they appeared to have got cold feet in the face of Mohammedan Sporting’s relentless pressure even after the break.
Franca — who again missed a couple of sitters — finally earned a penalty when FC Goa’s Spanish defender Odei Onaindia pushed the Brazilian from behind, leading referee Aditya Purkayastha to point to the spot. Alexis made no mistake to convert the resultant penalty.
Still Goa came calling when Muhammad Nemil rounded goalkeeper Padam Chhetri but Mohammedan Sporting’s defender Zuidika came up with a vital block to deny him.
The home fans thought it was enough to clinch the issue. But the next time Goa stormed the box, Sangwan whipped in an inviting cross and Sadiku rose to the occasion to bring home the equalizer for his team and plunge the hosts into another round of stoppage-time ‘heartbreak’.
SATURDAY’S ISL RESULTS
In Kolkata: Mohammedan SC 1 (Gomez 66) FC Goa 1 (Sadiku 90+4); In Jamshedpur: Jamshedpur FC 3 (Murray 36, Javi 44, 50) Mumbai City 2 (Karelis 18, Van Nieff 77).