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Durand Cup debutants Samaleswari Sporting stunned two-time champions Mohammedan SC 3-2 in a thrilling Group B fixture of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday, August 2, 2026.
The side from Odisha took a two-goal lead through strikes from Basit Ahmed Bhat and Russian forward Marat Tareck. Mohammedan levelled the scores in the second half through strikes from Lalthankima and Lalngaihsaka. Samaleswari found the winning strike nine minutes from time through a well taken free kick by Veer Arjun Joshi.
Samaleswari ended their group stage proceedings with six points from three matches while Mohammedan remain on three points from two matches.
All 43 matches of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup will be broadcast LIVE on the Sony Sports Network well and streamed live on SonyLIV
Mohammedan Sporting Club head coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo retained his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, making just one change to the side that defeated Baghpat FC. F. Lalremsanga replaced Md. Fardin Ali Molla in the starting XI, while the remaining ten players kept their places. Samaleswari Sporting head coach Abdul Azim Siddique also made a solitary change, introducing Kongbrailatpam Manjit Sharma for Prosenjit Chakroborty in an otherwise unchanged 4-4-2 lineup.
Mohammedan made a bright start, dominating possession and pinning Samaleswari deep inside their own half. F. Lalremsanga looked particularly dangerous with his direct running, while the Kolkata side repeatedly threatened with crosses into the penalty area and efforts from distance. However, Samaleswari defended resolutely, standing firm to withstand the early pressure.
Completely against the run of play, the Odisha-based side broke the deadlock from a well-worked set-piece. Hafiz Ur Rehman Khan delivered an inviting corner into the penalty area, where captain Basit Ahmed Bhat timed his near-post run to perfection before guiding a clinical finish beyond the goalkeeper to give Samaleswari the lead.
Samaleswari Sporting made the first substitution of the contest by introducing Cris Nowang Sherpa, who made an immediate impact down the left flank. Using his pace to beat his marker, Sherpa whipped a dangerous cross into the penalty area for Gnohere Krizo. Although the Ivorian failed to bring the ball under control, it fell kindly to a teammate whose goal-bound effort was bravely blocked by the Mohammedan defence, with the visitors forced to settle for a corner.
At the other end, Mohammedan continued to pose a threat by winning possession high up the pitch and switching play with long diagonal passes into the wide areas. However, Samaleswari’s backline remained disciplined, dealing comfortably with a succession of crosses into the penalty area to preserve their advantage.
Samaleswari Sporting doubled their advantage through Marat Tareck following a superb piece of direct play. Hafiz Ur Rehman Khan picked out the Russian forward with a perfectly weighted long ball from deep, and Tareck brought it under control with an excellent first touch before skilfully beating his marker. Keeping his composure, the striker slotted a precise finish into the bottom-left corner, punishing Mohammedan Sporting’s defence after they were caught out by the swift attacking move.
Trailing by two goals, Mohammeddan Sporting Club responded with urgency and dominated the remainder of the first half. F. Lalremsanga remained at the heart of their attacking play, winning possession in midfield, earning a series of corners and troubling the Samaleswari defence with dangerous deliveries into the penalty area and long-range efforts.
The Kolkata side carved out their best chance of the half when Lalremsanga threaded a clever pass into the box for Lalthankima, but the forward failed to keep his effort on target. Despite applying constant pressure in the attacking third, Mohammedan were unable to find a breakthrough as Samaleswari’s defence stood firm to protect their two-goal lead going into the interval.
Mohammedan Sporting Club made a double substitution at the start of the second half, introducing Md. Fardin Ali Molla for Israfil Dewan and Thokchom Adison Singh in place of Yash Chickro. Samaleswari Sporting also refreshed their lineup, with Veer Arjun Joshi replacing Gnohere Krizo and Aravindraj Rajan coming on for William Pauliankhum.
The changes did little to stem Mohammedan’s momentum as the Kolkata side continued to dominate proceedings and lay siege to the Samaleswari goal. F. Lalremsanga, Md. Fardin Ali Molla and Lalthankima combined effectively in the final third, repeatedly forcing the visitors onto the back foot.
Their sustained pressure was finally rewarded when Lalremsanga burst down the right flank before cutting the ball back into the penalty area. Lalthankima arrived at the perfect moment and calmly converted from close range to reduce the deficit.
Mohammedan Sporting’s relentless pressure eventually brought the equaliser. Lalngaihsaka unleashed a thunderous long-range effort that cannoned off the crossbar before striking the back of Samaleswari goalkeeper Aaryan Anjaneya and trickling over the goal line. Mohammedan’s sustained attacking pressure was finally rewarded with a deserved leveller.
Mohammedan Sporting Club continued to dominate proceedings after drawing level, launching wave after wave of attacks in search of a third goal. Lalthankima remained at the heart of the hosts’ attacking threat but squandered two glorious opportunities to complete the turnaround. The forward first blazed over the crossbar after being played clean through on goal before dragging another effort narrowly wide of the target.
With Mohammedan pushing relentlessly for a winner, Samaleswari Sporting were forced deep inside their own half and had to defend for long periods. However, the Odisha-based side remained disciplined at the back, withstood the sustained pressure and continued to frustrate the hosts despite the constant attacking waves.
Completely against the run of play, Samaleswari Sporting were handed a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the penalty area. Substitute Veer Arjun Joshi seized the opportunity, producing a moment of real quality as he curled a superb effort over the wall and beyond the goalkeeper to restore his side’s lead with just nine minutes remaining.
Mohammedan Sporting’s hopes of mounting another comeback suffered a major setback in the closing stages when substitute Thokchom Adison Singh was shown a second yellow card for a reckless challenge, reducing the hosts to ten men. Despite continuing to dominate possession and committing numbers forward in search of an equaliser, Mohammedan were unable to breach Samaleswari’s defence.
The Odisha-based side managed the closing minutes with great composure and their defensive display ensured they held on for a memorable 3-2 victory, securing one of the biggest upsets of the tournament and keeping their qualification hopes firmly alive.
Tomorrow’s Matches
TRAU FC vs FC Raengdai, 4:00 PM, Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, Imphal
Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC vs FC 1, 4:00 PM, Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Langsning FC vs Mumbay FC, 7:00 PM, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong
