Naihati, March 30 Mohammedan Sporting gasped their way to a 1-1 draw against Inter Kashi in the I-League 2023-24 at the Naihati Bankimanjali Stadium on Saturday.
The point means they still need three more points from their remaining three fixtures to win the title. On the other hand, if Sreenidi Deccan lose their fixture against Rajasthan United on Sunday, it would give the Kolkata club their maiden I-League crown.
Equipped with the knowledge that they needed just four points to wrap up the title and promotion with it, Mohammedan started the game in a frenzy. Within the first 10 minutes, they had the lead as Alexis Gomez interchanged quick passes with Eddie Hernandez before shooting low and hard from distance to beat Arindam Bhattacharya in the Inter Kashi goal.
Inter Kashi were hard to put away though and constantly forced Padam Chettri into action to keep their efforts at bay. Despite all of Mohammedan’s bravado, the game was firmly being played on Inter Kashi’s terms. The Black and White Brigade held on to take the lead at the break.
Inter Kashi sparked to life in the second half of the game, chance after chance being created and squandered away. Capitalising on a defensive error, Nikum Gyamar played through Tomba Singh just outside the box. The midfielder’s low drive bounced off the post. Gyamar and Mario Barco, in particular, looked constantly on the verge of conjuring something special, only for the ball to be pushed away time and again — once by Mohammedan captain Zodingliana on the goalline and once by Chettris’s full body save.
The equaliser did arrive in due course though, in the 83rd minute, via Barco’s header from a Jordan Lamela cross on the left. From there, the momentum was firmly with the visitors, Mohammedan happy to protect their point, but Inter Kashi desperate to get three. They created chance after chance, and were denied either by the woodwork or a last gasp clearance or save. Mohammedan limped through with the point that could potentially prove enough to close out the title.
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