Namdhari FC tightened their grip on Group A in the 134th Durand Cup with a fluent 4-2 win over the Indian Air Force Football Team at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday.
Despite going a goal behind early, the I-League outfit stormed back through a balanced display of attacking precision and defensive grit, registering their second win on the trot and advancing their bid for a quarterfinal berth.
Samuel K gave the Airmen an early lead in the 7th minute, capitalising on a rebound after Saurav Sadhukhan’s cross caused chaos in the Namdhari defence. But the Harpreet Singh-coached side regained composure and eventually imposed their dominance.
Brazilian forward Cledson Dasilva, who had spurned two clear chances earlier, equalised with a calmly-taken penalty in the 37th minute after Lamine Moro was tripped in the box by Aman Khan.
Namdhari went ahead just before the interval when a long throw-in from Jaskaranpreet Singh found Amandeep Singh, whose cross bamboozled the Air Force defence and curled into the far corner.
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Dharmpreet Singh made it 3-1 on the hour mark with a precise finish after a sweeping move down the left flank. Although Namdhari were reduced to 10 men in the 73rd minute following a reckless challenge by Manbir Singh, they extended their lead just a minute later when substitute Seilenthang Lotjem powered home from a Dasilva assist.
Sankit pulled one back for the Airmen five minutes later after capitalising on a defensive lapse, but the Namdhari backline held firm under late pressure, with Lamine Moro and Gurshan Singh marshalling their defence with assurance.
The win leaves Namdhari FC at the top of Group A with six points from two matches. Their next challenge is a key clash against East Bengal on Wednesday.
The Indian Air Force FT, coached by Priya Darshan, now face a must-win situation if they are to revive hopes of progressing.
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