AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: In football, Mohammedan Sporting had a bad day in office in Srinagar, on Saturday. Twice they took the lead against their local challengers but couldn’t hold on to it and surrendered all three points finally.

The famed Kolkata outfit’s futsal side, however, didn’t lose the script in the first semi-finals of the Hero Futsal Club championship in the KD Jadhav Hall at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Pitted against Delhi Football Club, the defending champions, Mohammedan took an early lead and managed to emerge 7-6 winners in the end despite huge pressure from the local side.

In the final to be played on Sunday at the same venue at 7.30pm, the Black and White brigade will clash with mighty Minerva Academy, who outclassed and outplayed Electric Veng Futsal Club 13-8 in an ill-tempered outing.

The men who made Mohammedan’s dream of reaching the final possible were Suvo Khatoora and Sandeep Oraw. Both of them struck hat-tricks in the game. Shamsad Ali scored the other goal. The Kolkata side’s biggest strong point was that never for a moment in the match they surrendered the lead and withstood immense pressure from the rivals. For DFC, Jojo Zaihmingthanga (2), K Roluahpuia (2), David Laltlansanga and George MS Dawngliana scored the goals.

In the Minerva-Electric Veng match, the former’s superiority was never in question. With prolific scorer Nikhil Mali alone accounting for five goals and T Radhakanta Singh netting three, Minerva dictated terms from the very start. Jayesh Sutar, Joel Beckham Simon, Craig Hermete D’Souza, Clinton Rosario D’Souza and Rugved Ajay Yeole scored the other goals. For Electric Veng, Lalrinsanga Khawlhring (3), Jonathan Lalrawngbawla (2), Samuel Lawmsiamkima (2) and Lalsangkima were the marksmen.