Mohammedan Sporting continued their impressive show, getting past JCT Mills, Phagwara, 2-1 to emerge leaders in the ONGC Cup 10th National Football League in Kolkata on Saturday.
Bijen Singh and Mohammed Muktar found the target for the winners, who now have 10 points from five outings. For the losers Parveen Kumar scored from a spot kick in the Salt Lake Stadium match as the the millmen remained on five points for the same number of matches.
Sporting went into the lead in the 26th minute when their Zimababwean defender David Mkandwire received the ball near the mid-field, and sent a square pass to Madhab Das onto the left who gave a long ball to in-form striker Patrick Okonji inside the rival box.
Despite being hemmed in by two defenders, Patrick controlled well and promptly fed Bijen Singh who was in the clear. Bijen, with goalkeeper Kalya Chaubey at his mercy, shot in.
Sporting widened the margin in the 71st minute. Patrick essayed a fine pass through to Bijen Singh, who shot straight to the goalkeeper's body. The rebound went to Mukhtar who put the ball home.
JCT, however, managed to narrow the gap within two minutes. Madhab Das needlessly held on to the ball near his own box and the wily Marcos Perira dispossessed the defender and moved into the box.
A desperate Sporting defender Madhusudan Majumder brought down the advancing Pereira and the referee P Bhaskar had no hesitation in awarding a penalty. Parveen Kumar made no mistake in converting the easiest of set pieces.
