Israfil’s Brace Helps Mohammedan Return to Winning Ways Against Army Red

Sayak Banerjee / 09-07-2024

Mohammedan began their Kolkata Premier Division League campaign on a high note with a resounding win, scoring half a dozen goals against Wari. However, their momentum quickly faltered. They were held to a draw by Kidderpore in the second match and suffered a loss to Kalighat Milan Sangha in the third. The situation had been far from ideal, and there were strong indications of a potential coaching change if their performance against Army Red was subpar. Despite the pressure, Mohammedan Sporting managed to overcome the odds and returned to the path of victory with a 3-1 win over Army Red, bringing some much-needed relief to the Black and White Brigade.

Desperate for a win, Mohammedan struggled to find the net initially. In the 38th minute, Tanmoy’s pass caused a mix-up in the Army Red defense, as a back pass to the goalkeeper led to a precarious situation. Capitalizing on this opportunity, Israfil Dewan put Mohammedan ahead 1-0. In stoppage time, Israfil struck again, converting a cross from Shubho Biswas on the left, making it 2-0 at halftime.

In the second half, at the 53rd minute, Addison Singh extended the lead to 3-0, finishing off a pass from Tanmoy. The match saw continuous attacks and counterattacks. In the 67th minute, a foul on Samir Murmu in the box resulted in a penalty, which Army Red’s Pradeep converted, reducing the deficit. In the 88th minute, Nitin’s powerful shot hit the post, and Liton’s attempt to score on the rebound was disallowed due to offside. This victory eased some pressure off coach Hakeem, providing a much-needed boost to the team’s morale.