Langsning FC goalkeeper Surjay Kumar Pariyar put up a valiant show as the Shillong-based side held Mohammedan Sporting Club to a goalless draw in their Group C preliminary round clash of the Second Division League at the Barasat Stadium on Monday, April 9.
Langsning FC took their points tally to eight points from five games, while Mohammedan Sporting remain third in the six-team table with seven points from four outings.
Going into the game, Mohammedan Sporting head coach Biswajit Bhattacharya made as many five changes to the side that were thrashed 4-1 by TRAU FC last week. Subham Roy replaced Suvam Sen under the bar. While Arijit Singh, Ainish Zamadar, Dipendu Dowary and Rahul Jaiswal came at the expenses of Dalraj Singh, Kamran Farooque, Debasish Pradhan and Sukhwinder Singh.
It was a setback for the home side as they looked the better of the two sides with some fine attacking moves by Fikru Teferra Lemessa and skipper Jiten Murmu upfront, but could not breach Surjay’s towering presence.
Surjay thwarted two fine efforts by Fikru and Jiten early into the start of the game while Langsning FC were unlucky in the 27th minute when a powerful strike from striker Fullmoon Mukhim missed the target by a whisker.
In the second half, the Langsning FC goalkeeper showed his brilliance once again saving two outstanding efforts by Dipendu and Jiten.
The visitors too were unlucky to have missed a few chances on both the sides of the break and they sorely missed the services of their Japanese striker Ryoga Katsurahima as they fielded Fullmon and Ebormi Buam upfront.
Mohammedan Sporting will take on Langsning FC next in the reverse fixture to be played at Shillong on April 13.