New Delhi: Defending Champions Prayag United cruised into the semi finals of the 124th Durand Cup after they beat the reigning I- League Champions Salgaoncar FC 2-0 at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Sunday. Prayag United who needed just a draw to qualify for the semis started the match on a rather defensive note, while on the other Salgaoncar desperately needing a win to find a spot in the semis looked to attack but could not make any inroads. Both the teams went into the halftime without scoring any goal.
After the change of ends, Salgaoncar stepped up their game and started attacking within the initial moments of the second half. The first real chance for Salgaoncar came in the 46th minute of the match when a great shot from Chidi Edeh from 30 yards missed the nets by whiskers. They kept the pressure on and in the 49th minute a curling right footer from Mehraj Wadoo missed the target again marginally. Sensing urgency, Prayag started counter attacking as the duo of Yusuf Yakubu on the right and S. Malsawm Tlunga who came on as a replacement for right winger James Singh in the 55th minute posed continued threat to the Salgaoncar’s defence. They had almost scored in the 60th minute of the match when their striker Joshimar De Silva’s powerful shot was well saved by Salgaoncar’s custodian Karanjit Singh.
They continued exerting pressure on Salgaoncar and created some real good chances but lack of good finishing could not get them in. Prayag finally drew the first blood in the 65th minute of the match when Yusuf Yakubu took a well timed header to find the nets off a fine curling cross from the right by Malsawm Tlunga. Just four minutes, a low header by Gouranga Biswas off Malsawm Tlunga’s corner kicks from the right made it 2-0 for the Prayag United thus ending bringing down curtains on Salgaoncar FC’s campaign at the Durand Cup.
Prayag United coach Sanjay Sen was very happy with his team’s performance and is very optimistic about the semi finals. “I am very happy with the team’s performance. I just hope to carry the momentum into the semis and hopeful of a good show in the show,” said the Prayag’s coach.
Asked about his team’s defensive intent in the early stage of the game, he said that he was just playing according the pace of his opponents. “I was going according to their pace. Even they were not attacking much in the first half. As soon as I saw them step up the ante so did I,” added Sanjay.
In another match, Shillong Lajong defeated Sikkim United to seal a semi final berth. Even the aura of the former Indian captain Bhaichung Bhutia could not help Sikkim as they crashed out of the tournament after losing 3-1. (Shillong Lajong James Gbilee 32, Christopher Chizoba 36, 83, Sikkim Sushil Singh 44).
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
