Agencies

Shillong

Mohammedan Sporting’s long wait to win their maiden I-League title finally came to an end as they edged out Shillong Lajong FC 2-1 on Saturday, at the SSA Stadium.

The Black and White Brigade, now garnered an unassailable 52 points from 23 matches; their closest rivals, Sreenidi Deccan FC, are eight points behind with two games to play.

The Argentine forward Alexis Gomez produced a moment of magic in the first minute itself, when he spotted Lajong keeper Neitho Chalieu off his line, and chopped it goalwards from just inside the halfway mark, as the ball sailed over the goalkeeper’s head and nestled into the net.

The job seemed half done, but a lot could happen over 90 minutes, and from what ensued over the course of the rest of the first half, it was amply clear that one goal would not be enough for the Black and White Brigade.

It took Shillong just a quarter of an hour to get back into the game, a Douglas Tardin penalty making it 1-1.

Padam Chettri, Mohammedan Sporting’s goalkeeper, who has had a stellar season, pulled off a brilliant save to maintain parity just before the half-time break, as he palmed away a shot by Marcos Rudwere from
point-blank range.

The home side started with the same tempo in the second half, but the table toppers managed the situation well. They stayed back and waited for the opportunity that soon presented itself.

Kozlov, brought on as a substitute during the first half, seized an opportunity as he capitalized on a clearance, placing himself inside the box with only the goalkeeper to overcome, a feat he accomplished in the 68th minute. This crucial goal provided the Black and White Brigade with a much-needed respite.

Making it a collective effort by the team, the Mohammedan Sporting defenders put in an absolute shift in injury time to secure Mohammedan’s 15th win of the season.