KOLKATA (India): Mohammedan Sporting Club edged past Gokulam Kerala FC 1-0 in the quarterfinal to reach the last four stage of 123rd IFA Shield .
Tirthnakar Sarkar scored the only goal of the match in the 8th minute.
Mohammedan started the match with more purpose as they threw everything they had to impose their will on their opponents during the early exchanges.
And their efforts were soon rewarded in the 8th minute when Philip Adjah brought down inside the bo-x by Gokulam goalkeeper Ubaid CK and a penalty was awarded.Tirthankar made no mistake from the penalty spot, drilling the ball into the top corner, to give Mohammedan SC early lead.
There were thoughts that the early goal might see the floodgates open for Mohammedan SC, however this was a Gokulam Kerala side with renewed purpose keen to show the form that saw them thrashing BSS Sporting Club 7-2 a couple of days back.
Dennis Antwi and Shibil Mohammed led the charge forward for the Malabarians, with several first-half chances going just short of the target.
Mohammedan SC, on the other hand, looked a lot more comfortable in the first-half, adopting a passing game that often had Gokulam giving chase rather than being able to control the game themselves.
There were a slew of chances for the Black Panthers but they were thwarted each time either by the penalty area management from Ubaid, or their own difficulties finding the target which saw the Black Panthers went into the breather with a solitary goal lead.
The second-half saw Mohammedan SC continue to attack with ease, but Ubaid kept his side in the contest with a number of fine saves, including one to deny Adjah in the 47th minute.
However, some sloppy defending from the Black Panthers eight minutes into the second-half gave Gokulam the chance to equalize, but goalkeeper Priyant Singh did very well as he came out to block Dennis from close range, before Jithin MS missed the target on the follow-up.
Mohammedan SC then took the ball up to the opposite end of the pitch and looked set to double their lead when Gani Ahmed Nigam arrived unmarked in the box to get on the end of a cross by Hira Mondal, but his header was brilliantly tipped over the crossbar by Ubaid.
