Hyderabad, Feb 8 Hyderabad FC defeated Mohammedan SC 3-1 in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium here on Saturday. This was the fourth win of the campaign for Hyderabad FC as they got to 16 points as a result of this triumph.
Mohammedan SC had Alexis Gomez marshalling the offensive charge for them by surging down the right side of the Hyderabad FC 18-yard box with sheer pace and fine control over the ball in the opening couple of exchanges of the game. In a pocket of space from where he could have either squared up a delivery or taken more time on a shot, Gomez’s eventual effort was misdirected since it ended high and wide to the right in the eighth minute.
Interestingly, Gomez began the second half with equal precision and industriousness to make a move happen in the final third. Dazzling into the centre of the box upon receiving a ball from Franca, Gomez’s shot met an immediate block, after Joe Zoherlina had endured a similar fate, courtesy of a well-organised Hyderabad FC backline.
Hyderabad FC coupled this defensive diligence with a blend of creativity, which produced their opening strike of the evening. In the 24th minute, Muhammed Rafi caught the Mohammedan SC backline by surprise with a long through hall that sailed over them and met Allan Paulista inside the box. Allan brought the ball down with his chest, before nestling it into the centre of the net in an instant to cap off the offensive move convincingly.
Gomez continued to be Mohammedan SC’s key man in the frontline as Zodinglina Ralte picked him in the middle of the 18-yard area in the 38th minute with a pass intended for him to take a quick touch at and then to be shot at goal. Gomez’s final effort, though on target, failed to trouble Arshdeep Singh as the custodian held his lines perfectly.
On the other end, Ramhlunchhunga earned an opportunity to double the lead by winning a free-kick from the edge of the box on the left side in the added time of the first half. Stepping up to take the kick, Ramhlunchhunga pulled off a peach of a delivery, with the ball carrying just the adequate pace and precision required to hit the top left corner of the net and get Hyderabad FC a two-goal cushion heading into the half-time break.
While Gomez’s continued efforts were culminating in goals, he turned creator for Makhan Chothe’s 78th-minute strike. As Mohammedan SC strived to create pressure from a corner kick, Gomez got on the ball and hurled in a quick cross for Chothe on the left side of the six-yard box. Chothe showed calm in depositing it into the bottom right corner to spark hopes of a possible resurgence, but that was not to be.
Paulista, instead, rounded off a terrific outing for the home side by bagging an assist in the added time of the second half.
Mohammedan SC had sensed that they had cracked an opening and hence threw numbers ahead to find their way to an equaliser. As the game entered its final legs, Hyderabad FC didn’t budge, and instead landed the decisive blow through a rapid counter attack that the Mohammedan SC defence was unable to track back.
Paulista found Joseph Sunny well positioned at the centre of the box and the latter instinctively responded with a shot on the top right corner to score Hyderabad FC’s third goal of the game.
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