Mohammedan SC maintained their 100 percent record by winning four out of four matches with a tremendous 4-0 win against Indian Arrows FC in the 2021-22 I-League at the Naihati Stadium, here on Saturday.
Mohammedan were the only team in the league who had a perfect record this season coming into the game and that record remained intact on Saturday. Three wins in three games set them up perfectly for a match against Indian Arrows, who had a narrow 1-0 win against Sudeva Delhi in their last game.
Indian Arrows started impressively with some quick passing and possession in the middle of the park, and they were able to keep Mohammedan SC at bay in the early exchanges. Mohammedan's Andjelo Rudovic got booked by the referee in the fifteenth minute of the game as he tackled Parthib Gogoi after missing an easy chance just a minute before.
Mohammedan got the lead against the run of play in the 18th minute. Marcus Joseph broke the deadlock as he fired them ahead off his left foot from close range which gave no chance to Arrows' goalkeeper, Syed Zahid.
Also Read | Faf du Plessis named RCB captain for IPL 2022
Rudovic had a chance to double the lead in the 28th minute as his effort went just past the post. Indian Arrows, with all their hard work, weren't able to create something in the final third.
Marcus Joseph got another chance in the 30th minute and made no mistake to score and take his goal tally to seven in this season. Indian Arrows were frustrated with the way they had conceded two goals in a single half when they had two clean sheets before this game.
The second half began with Mohammedan on the up again, trying to put the opposition under pressure from the get-go. They got their chance in the 51st minute when Rudovic, who had been part of the action that happened in the first half, floated a good ball in the box. It was headed into the back of the net by Asheer Akhtar to make it 3-0 in favor of the Black and White Brigade.
Indian Arrows replaced Taison Singh and brought in Velanco Elisson Rodrigues to change things up in the 62nd minute. However, Mohammedan continued their stunning form as Rudovic scored in the 72nd minute to make it 4-0.
Also Read | Pink ball Test: Sri Lanka 86/6 at stumps, trail India by 166 runs on Day 1
Even with a big deficit, Indian Arrows kept trying and made a double change in the 83rd minute as Suhail Bhat and Leewan Castanha were replaced by Satendra Yadav and Pritam Meetei.
Even with all their effort, Indian Arrows weren't able to leave their mark on the game as it finished 4-0 in favor of Mohammedan SC. It was the Black and White Brigade's second clean sheet of the season. Marcus Joseph scored a brace and with seven goals, is now the top scorer in the league.
