JOIN USLangsning hold Mohd Sporting
Joel Sunday Ayeni’s sensational solo effort in the second half helped Langsning FC hold fancied Mohammedan Sporting 1-1 in their I-League Second Division final leg match at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Monday.
Sporting thus lost a great opportunity to open up a substantial lead and moved to 11 points from six matches. Langsning, playing probably their toughest match here, moved to eight points from six matches.
Sporting suffered due to the absence of two of their best players, Moroccan striker Younes Baltham and Alfred Jaryan, both having got marching orders in their last match against Mumbai Tigers.
Despite their shortcomings, the Kolkata side managed to trouble their rivals and Jerry Zersingha’s cracking shot in the 25th minute signalled Sporting’s intentions, with the winger’s left-footer acrobatically saved by Langsning custodian Laishram Prem Kumar Singh.
When Korean striker Wi Hyju put them in front in the 35th minute with a well-executed header off a good cross from Noushad K, it was game on.
Daniel and Joel, Langsning’s Nigerian strike combination, were kept quiet by the Sporting defence led by J Prasad in the first half.
One of the striking aspects of Langsning’s approach was their ability to stage counter-attacks. Joel brought that element into fruition in the second session and churned out a peach of a goal in the 60th minute with a sizzling run through the left, teasing three defenders with his trickery before netting past Sporting custodian Arnab Das Sharma.
Joel’s over enthusiasm then fetched him a yellow card for diving inside the area in the 66th minute.
With the game in balance, exerting pressure was topmost on Sporting’s minds but their plans went kaput when Hyju, suffering from cramps, had to be replaced by Phool Chand Hembram in the 72nd minute.
Earlier, Rangdajied beat Bhawanipore FC 1-0 in the first match with a goal from Babatunde in the 43rd minute. The Shillong team have seven points from six matches while Bhawanipore remain on nine from six games.
Tuesday’s match: Southern Samity vs Mumbai Tigers (2.00 pm).