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Substitute goalkeeper Sourav Chakraborty emerged the hero for Mohammedan Sporting Club as he saved two penalties against BSF – Jalandhar and ensured his team’s passage in the final of 2018 Bordoloi Trophy on Tuesday, November 6.
The first semifinal of the competition at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Guwahati saw both sides level at 0-0 at the end of 90 minutes and the match went into the penalties with Mohammedan Sporting winning 6-5 via sudden death. Both teams missed a spot-kick each in the regulation shootout but the decisive error was made by Saddam Hossain as his effort was palmed away by Sourav.
The first-half was an evenly matched contest with the teams were watchful not to press too many men forward and as a result there were not many chances to pounce upon.
However, as the game progressed Mohammedan Sporting gradually gained control and created game’s first scoring opportunity when Philip Adjah controlled a ball outside the box only to fire his volley wide in the 14th minute.
BSF, on the other hand, did show some excellent moves in patches but find it difficult to penetrate into the rival box thanks to some brilliant defending by Prosenjit Pal.
After pushing up for a long time, Mohammedan Sporting created the best chance of the first-half in the 34th minute. Snehasish Dutta cut in from the right and with an intelligent ball sent Sumit Ghosh clear on the left. Sumit controlled the ball and tried to volley over the keeper but he was denied by a brilliant save from the rival custodian Harpreet Singh.
Thereafter, both sides battled hard in the midfield, but with the game turning physical there weren’t many chances as both sides went into the breather tied at goalless.
The second-half was played at much higher intensity than the first and both sides had some close chances with Mohammedan Sporting going extremely close twice in the opening fifteen minutes but was denied by poor finishing.
Mohammedan Sporting had their chances through David Asamoah, Adjah and Sumit, while BSF went close through Jitinder Rawat and Ramakanta Hembram but neither could get the breakthrough.
A last minute effort from substitute Prosenjit Chakraborty was denied by Harpreet and proved the final action of the game ahead of a penalty shootout with both teams left in a scoreless deadlock forcing the contest to be decided on penalties where Raghunath Nandi’s charges proved to be better shooters and prevailed 6-5.
Black Panthers will now play the final on November 8 against the winner between TRAU FC and Oil India Limited.
