I-League 2023-24: Sreenidi Deccan FC Rout Neroca FC, Mohammedan Sporting Edge Past Aizawl FC

David Castaneda Munoz led from the front as Sreenidi Deccan FC thrashed Neroca FC 4-0 at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad on Sunday, October 29, 2023. The emphatic victory signalled a dominant start to the Deccan Warriors’ 2023-24 I-League campaign. While the Deccan FC captain Castaneda scored a brace, Lalromawia and R Lalbiakliana scored the other two goals.

It was a Deccan show right from the outset. They controlled the game and had the lion’s share of possession. The fact that Deccan had 24 shots at goal showed how dominant they were throughout the game. While Neroca goalkeeper Soram Poirei Meitei was busy fending off a barrage of Deccan attacks, his teammates struggled to muster any significant threat at the other end.

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Deccan created the first chance of the game in the 20th minute. Faysal Shayesteh curled in a free-kick from 20 yards but Soram Poirei Meitei made a diving save to parry the ball away. Two minutes later, Neroca’s defensive error breathed life into Deccan’s attacking prowess. Neroca defender Balwinder Singh slipped in an attempt to clear a low cross from Shayesteh and it allowed Munoz at the far post to tap the ball home effortlessly for Deccan’s first goal.

Any hopes for a Neroca comeback were promptly squashed in the 57th minute. Neroca FC were caught in possession and Deccan quickly unlocked their opponent’s defence with surgical precision, leading to Lalromawia calmly slotting the ball past a helpless Soram Poirei Meitei for Deccan’s second goal.

The game was effectively put to bed in the 85th minute when Munoz netted his second of the night. Awarded a penalty following Safiul Rahaman’s clumsy challenge on R Lalbiakliana, Munoz coolly sent Meitei the wrong way to make it 3-0.

Sreenidi Deccan added a fourth in the dying minutes of the game. Neroca were caught in possession once again before Lalbiakliana snatched the ball away and made a solo run. He bamboozled the Neroca defence and goalkeeper Soram Poirei Meitei with his tricks and turns before finding the back of the net and sealing an impressive win for his side.

Mohammedan Sporting beat Aizawl FC

Playing in front of a partisan home crowd, Mohammedan Sporting beat Aizawl FC 2-1 on Sunday, October 29, 2023, to open their 2023-24 campaign on a winning note. The scoreline did not justify their dominance, Aizawl goalkeeper Vanlal Hriatpuia’s heroics ensured his side stayed competitive for the full ninety.

Mohammedan Sporting justified their heavyweights tag for the season in the opening period of the game, dominating possession and creating the bulk of the chances. Both their wingers, F Lalremsanga and Samuel Lalmuanpuia created havoc almost every time they were on the ball.

It was no surprise then when the home side took the lead in the 7^th minute, even if the manner of it raised eyebrows. From a short corner played out by Alexis Gomez, Lalmuanpuia curled the ball into the box. Nobody came up to meet it, but its trajectory and power were enough to deceive Vanlal Hriatpuia who completely misjudged his lines to concede the opener.

The goal jolted Aizawl into action. The side is famous for its youth academy, and it would’ve been little solace for them that the scorer and tormentor in chief were both formerly in their ranks.

Mohammedan’s lead lasted for five minutes. From a long free kick on the left, Lalthanmawia delivered the ball into the box. Lalrinzuala had run free of his marker and brought the ball down expertly, albeit into the path of K Lalrinfela, who finished to draw them level.

Soon enough though Mohammedan were back dominating the ball, Remsanga and Gomez interchanging neat passes and constantly creating inroads in the final third. The final ball or the finish was always lacking. Till it wasn’t.

In their attempts to play out from the back, Aizawl erred and Wahengbam Luwang released Gomez into the box. The Argentine restored the home side’s lead.

Through the second half, Mohammedan ensured their levels didn’t drop, controlling the possession and the play in midfield. Aizawl was feeding on scraps as Gomez, Remsanga and Mirjalol  Kasimov turned the screws on tight.

It took the brilliance of Hriatpuia in goal to ensure Aizawl didn’t concede more. The keeper made up for his early error to make save after save in a period of play where Mohammedan did everything but bulge the net.

Hriatpuia’s two standout saves came from two close-range efforts. The first, created from a Remsanga dribble and cutback left Prince Agyemang with the simplest of tap-ins. The forward went for power from point-blank range and somehow Hriatpuia palmed it away. A few minutes later he saved from David Lalhlansanga’s long ranger and then blocked a header from the resultant corner.

In the final minute, Aizawl came close to an equaliser, a melee from a corner seeing the headed ball safely bounce off the upright. And then, in the final minute of injury time, Gomez had a chance to wrap it all up, running free one-on-one with only Hriatpuia to beat. The goalkeeper saved yet again. Mohammedan gratefully took the three points.