Sporting get past gritty Air India

New Delhi, August 30: It was like one of those matches that, you can sense at the kick-off, won’t be a high scoring affair.

Air India and Sporting Clube de Goa, both vying for a semi-final spot, played a waiting game and it was only in the 85th minute that Anthony D’Souza outran the Air India defenders to convert a through ball from Micky Fernandes.

Goalkeeper Sharat EC ran out of choices and came forward making a desperate dive, but D’Souza had, by then, lobbed it in. Air India pressed hard for an equaliser and their best chance came in the last minute of regulation time — Soccor Velho pushing into Sporting Club’s box and hitting it straight into Fekix D’Souza’s hands, and then failing to convert the rebound as well.

The 1-0 scoreline, though, wasn't enough to judge the extent of homework the teams had done for this crucial clash but Sporting Clube de Goa coach Vishwasgaocar claimed to have worked out a definite strategy.

“They were too dependent on Chukwuma Udofia. Every long cross and throw was directed towards him. We had our markers guarding him throughout,” he said.

Interestingly, D’Souza came in as a substitute for Steven Fernandes, a trump card according to the coach.

Earlier, JCT thrashed TFA 3-1 through goals from Balwant Singh, Eduardo da Silva and Baldeep Singh. The lone scorer for the Jamshedpur side was Niroshon Mani.

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