Daijiworld Media Network - Jamshedpur
Jamshedpur, July 29: A composed finish from Sanan Mohammed in the second half helped Jamshedpur FC clinch a narrow 1-0 victory over Indian Army FT in a gritty Group C encounter of the 134th Durand Cup, held at the JRD Tata Sports Complex.
The win marks Jamshedpur FC’s second consecutive victory, taking them to six points and top of the group, putting them in a strong position for a spot in the knockout stage.
First Half: Indian Army Dominate but Fail to Convert
Indian Army FT started strongly, dominating possession and creating early chances, with forward Samir Murmu and Samananda Singh both coming close in the opening 15 minutes. Jamshedpur struggled to deal with the physicality and pace of the Army midfield, particularly Lethaolen Khongsai and P. Christopher Kamei, who controlled the tempo.
Amrit Gope, Jamshedpur's goalkeeper, kept his side in the game with a vital save in first-half stoppage time, denying a long-range effort from Indian Army captain B. Sunil.
Second Half: Sanan Strikes, Jamshedpur Holds On
Jamshedpur head coach Khalid Jamil introduced V P Suhair and Nikhil Barla after the break to shift momentum. The breakthrough came in the 52nd minute from a long throw-in routine. Karthik Choudhary headed the ball into the danger zone, where Sanan Mohammed controlled it on his chest and calmly slotted it past Sayad Bin Abdul Kadir.
Despite trailing, Indian Army kept pressing, but lacked precision in the final third. Liton Shil’s powerful long-range shot rattled the crossbar late in the game—the closest the visitors came to leveling.
Late Drama: Red Card and a Makeshift Goalkeeper
In a dramatic turn, Army keeper Sayad Bin Abdul Kadir was sent off in injury time for a foul on Jayesh Rane outside the box. With no substitutions left, defender Samananda Singh donned the gloves, as Army pushed for an equaliser.
V P Suhair also struck the bar at the other end, but Jamshedpur FC held firm to seal a hard-fought win.
What’s Next
With two wins from two, Jamshedpur FC are in prime position to advance from Group C, while Indian Army FT, despite a spirited performance, will need to bounce back quickly to stay in contention.