The Hindu : Sport / Football : Narrow win for Sporting Clube

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Narrow win for Sporting Clube

KOLKATA: Mohammedan Sporting lost a key match to leader Sporting Clube de Goa 0-1 in the 13th round of the ONGC I-League,here on Saturday.

The Goan side, struck by a loss to Vasco in the previous engagement, redeemed itself with this win to garner 28 points, four points clear of second-placed Mohun Bagan.

Sporting Clube made the first attempt to break the deadlock in the 14th minute with Elijah Obagbemiro Jr. hooking the ball back into play from the touchline to Joseph Pereira who in turn passed it to Rakshak Naik. The attempt failed to beat Naseem Akhtar.

Two minutes later came the match-winner thanks to a howler by Akhtar. Akhtar shielded Bibiano Fernandes’s shot from the top of the penalty box but failed to take the ball cleanly. The loose ball fell near Pereira and his left-footed jab rolled into the empty net.

Mohammedan should have left with a draw but failed to convert a superb chance in the 86th. Mike Okoro floated a flag kick over the heads of the rival defenders and picked Eugene Gray inside the six-yard box. Gray needed to just anticipate the flight and put his head to the ball. Instead, he failed to move in the right direction and the chance went abegging. After its seventh loss Mohammedan stays 11th with 10 points. — Special Correspondent

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