Winning start for Mohammedan Sporting and Bhawanipore in I-League qualifiers

KOLKATA: Local sides Mohammedan Sporting Club and Bhawanipore FC began their I-League qualifying campaign on winning notes on Thursday.
Munmun Lugun came to Mohammedan Sporting's rescue with an injury-time strike after Trinidadian striker Willis Plaza failed to convert a spot-kick against Garhwal FC at the Kalyani Stadium.
Bhawanipore, on the other hand, brushed aside FC Bengaluru United 2-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium, thanks to goals from Pankaj Moula (47th) and Phillip Adjah (60th).
The match in Kalyani kicked off with the visitors dominating the game with possession-based football.
Garhwal's defence stood tall as Plaza and Himanshu Jangra found it difficult to sneak through.
After the change of ends, Mohammedan Sporting came out with all guns blazing. The positive intent paid off after the hour-mark as the home side won a spot-kick when Gani Ahmed Nigam was brought down by goalkeeper Sayak Barai inside the box. But Plaza failed to convert the spot kick, hitting the woodwork.
MSC, however, kept pressing forward.
As the game headed into the fourth minute of injury time, Lugun burst into the scene, firing in a stunning left-footed long-ranger strike to bring a huge sigh of relief in the MSC dug out.
Earlier at Salt Lake Stadium, Bengaluru started the proceedings well by creating a couple of chances. But it was Bhawanipore's defenders Arijit Bagui and Kinghshuk Debnath who kept things tight.
Although Sankarlal Chakraborty's side was missing key striker Ansumana Kromah, who tested positive for Covid-19 prior to the tournament, it was Ghananian Adjah who stepped up when it mattered.
Despite the visitors' positive intent, it was the home side who broke the deadlock right before the halftime.
A long pass was collected by Adjah, whose shot on target was deflected by goalkeeper Srijith R. But unfortunately the ball fell to Moula who opened the scoring with a simple tap in.
After the change of ends, Bengaluru put in some extra effort in search of the equaliser. With the tournament allowing five substitutions, both teams kept switching players to keep the pace in the game.
Bhawanipore consolidated just at the stroke of the hour-mark as Adjah's stunning volley from inside the box doubled their lead.
From there on, the home side saw through every attack from the opposition to grab full points from the match.