Mogaveera S.C. clinch a narrow 1-0 win over Bombay Fort S.C.

by Balbir Singh November 30, 2015

On the 29^th of November, 2015, Bombay Fort S.C. played against Mogaveera S.C. in the 20^th Late Ramanath Payyade Memorial Football League Tournament 2015-16 at Karnatak Sports Association Ground, Churchgate. Bombay Fort Sports Club stumbled to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Mogaveera S.C., who scored the game’s winner in the last-minute of play to clinch the victory.

Prior to this match, Jai Hind S.C. was humiliated by Karnatak S.C.; a game which saw K.S.C. score 12 unanswered goals past Jai Hind S.C. But, this match was nowhere close to its predecessor. B.F.S.C. vs. M.S.C. for most part saw one side (Bombay Fort S.C.), clearly, setting-back and tried unsuccessful attempts of attack during counters, and the other team (Mogaveera S.C.) continuously trying to find gaps in the defence whilst dominating possession in the opposition territory.

Mogaveera S.C. from the start of the game built pressure on Bombay Fort S.C. sustaining them into their half. Mogaveera were presented with number and a wide range of chances which they failed to convert into goal on every occasion. Not a consistency any coach would consider. A match in which they could have and should have scored 3 or 4 goals M.S.C. would have happily settled for the 1-0 result which filled their pockets maximum points.

The best chance of the first-half fell to no.13 Prasad Adka of Mogaveera S.C. on the 29^th minute mark, but he couldn’t find a fine contact needed to slot the ball inside the goal. The half ended with the scores level at 0-0, both sides walked out of the ground wondering about the lack of quality to convert any opportunity in front of goal.

On the start of the second-half, Mogaveera had a slight change in system which created or rather exploited the space on the right of Bombay Fort S.C., but the crosses wouldn’t be attacked with equal or more conviction than they were defended with.  The goal, finally, did arrive, but with its taste of controversy.

On the 60thminute mark, referee gave an indirect free-kick to Mogaveera S.C. inside the 18-yard-box as the goalkeeper of Bombay Fort S.C. handled the ball for more than 6 seconds. Prior to the incident, as the game reached its closing stages the Bombay Fort S.C. players and the goalkeeper, especially tried the traditional method of delaying play during dead-ball situations in-order-to see the game through at 0-0, but the referee had other plans. Mogaveera S.C.’s no.7 Praneel Mendon who slotted the ball into the left corner of the goal – after an initial layoff – giving the goalkeeper no chance whatsoever.