Calcutta, March 12: Mohammedan SC maintained their 100 per cent record by winning four out of four matches with a tremendous 4-0 victory against Indian Arrows FC in the 2021-22 I-League at Naihati Stadium, here on Saturday.
Mohammedan was the only team in the league to have a perfect record this season going into the game and that record remained intact on Saturday. Three wins from three games set them up perfectly for a match against Indian Arrows, who had a narrow 1-0 victory against Sudeva Delhi in their last game.
Indian Arrows started impressively with some quick passing and possession in midfield, and were able to hold off Mohammedan SC in the first few exchanges. Mohammedan’s Andjelo Rudovic was booked by the referee in the 15th minute of the match when he brought down Parthib Gogoi after missing an easy chance just a minute earlier.
Mohammedan took the lead against the flow of play in the 18th minute. Marcus Joseph broke the tie when he fired a left footed shot from close range, giving Arrows goalkeeper Syed Zahid no chance.
Rudovic had a chance to double the lead in the 28th minute when his effort went just over the post. Indian Arrows, with all his hard work, couldn’t create anything in the final third.
Marcus Joseph had another chance in the 30th minute and made no mistakes to score and take his goal tally to seven 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 started with Mohammedan back on top, trying to put pressure on the opposition from the start. 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 into the area. Asheer Akhtar headed into the back of the net to make it 3-0 for the Black and White Brigade.
Indian Arrows replaced Taison Singh and brought in Velanco Elisson Rodrigues to turn things around in the 62nd minute. However, Mohammedan continued his impressive form when Rudovic scored in the 72nd minute to make it 4-0.
Even with a huge deficit, Indian Arrows kept trying and made a double change in the 83rd minute when Suhail Bhat and Leewan Castanha were replaced by Satendra Yadav and Pritam Meetei.
Despite all their effort, Indian Arrows could not make their mark in the game which ended 4-0 in favor of Mohammedan SC. He was the second clean sheet of the season for the Black and White Brigade. Marcus Joseph scored a brace and, with seven goals, is now the top scorer in the league.