Mohammedan Sporting – 2 (Ousmane Ndiaye 33’, Rahul Paswan 87’) Indian Air Force- 0

Kolkata, Friday, August 27, 2022:

Mohammedan Sporting (MDSP), previous year’s runner-up and
the first Indian winners of Asia’s oldest football tournament, became the first team to make it through to
the quarter-finals of the 131st IndianOil Durand Cup, defeating the Indian Air Force Football Team
(IAFFT) by a brace of goals at Kolkata’s Kishore Bharati Krirangan in the first group game of Friday.
French defender Ousmane Cardinal Ndiaye got the first goal in the 33rd minute of the first-half, while
substitute Rahul Paswan got the second in the 87th minute of the second, as MDSP completely outplayed
the Air men on the day. MDSP as a result now have three wins from three games, with one final game
against Bengaluru FC (BFC) remaining, but that result will not move them out of the top two in Group
A.
All 47 games of the 131st Durand Cup are being telecast LIVE on Sports18 1 SD & HD and
Sports18 Khel as well as live-steamed on the Over the Top (OTT) platform VOOT!
MDSP take control Russian coach Andrey Chernyshov strengthened his defence, starting with Abhash Thapa in place of midfielder Christy Davis while the Air Force gaffer Priya Darshan made two changes with Davinder Singh coming in in midfield, in place of forward Vivek Kumar and experienced keeper Shibinraj making way for Subhajit Basu.
MDSP had their first attempt as early as the sixth minute when a long ranger by Tajik midfielder
Nuriddin Davronov flew way over the target. MDSP had begun to take control.
In the 14th, Pritam Singh was played on by Trinidadian talisman MarcusJoseph, in what was the first of
a flurry of chances he would create for his mates in the game. Pritam’s shot was weak and Subhajit had
no problems collecting it, but it was still the first shot on target for the Black & Whites.
Just over 20 minutes into the game, Saurav Sadhukan had probably the only shot on goal for the Air
men, but his effort from distance, though fumbled initially by keeper Sankar Roy, had no one following
up for the rebound.
In the 26th, after a wonderful move down the left flank involving Abhishek Ambekar, Faiaz and Abhash
Thapa had the last-named crossing for an onrushing Marcus, but for once his connection deserted him
and he shot wide from close.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 33rd minute of the first half. MDSP will have Zudika to thank,for
persisting from the right to win a corner. Abhash took this one with his left foot, instead of Fayaz who
was taking it from his right from that end. It missed all in the middle and after a fortunate deflection,
found its way to Faslu, lurking inside the box on the left. The two-time scorer in the tournament, let fly
a shot back towards the melee and Ndiaye jumped highest to direct a header into the top left corner of
Subhajit’s goal.
Faslu could have doubled the advantage in the 42nd minute when after some good work by Davronov,
he found himself one on one with the keeper, but Subhajit was up to it this time.