Md Sporting ground Air India in a bore-to-death tie

Kolkata, Mar 24 (UNI) Club soccer touched the lowest ebb even as Mohammedan Sporting defeated Air India 1-0 in a ninth round match of the NFL here today.

Now Md Sporting have 14 from nine games, while Air india have 10 from nine.

The lone goal of the match came in the 16th minute when Bijen Singh's lob was misheaded by A K Martins. The ball landed in front of an alert Patrick Okonji who crept up behind the defender to volley home.

Air India's only chance came in the 46th minute when Soccor Velho found Vijit Shetty with a fine square pass. But the medio shot into Gopal Das's hands with an open goal in front.

The game never rose to any heights as both the teams were engaged in mindless ball play. The ball remained confined near the centre circle with both teams making occasional forays into the rival territory.

A few half chances, squabbles and a yellow card sums up the match.

Palash Shivalkar will soon need to measure out the height of the goalpost to live upto his reputation as a scorer, for both his tries were aimed at the vacant stands. Thereafter he was replaced by Anthony Fernandez.

On the other side Mohammedan's Togolese striker Rodrigue is fast reducing himself to a mere passenger, whose only contribution was to collect a yellow from the game.

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