The winless run continued for former champions Mohun Bagan and debutants Mohammedan Sporting as they settled for a 1-1 draw in a Round IV match of the ONGC I-League at YBK in Kolkata on Sunday.
Both teams have two points from four matches and are placed at the bottom of the 12-team table.
The match rose to dizzy heights as both teams launched attacks and counter attacks. Mohammedan Sporting fired the first salvo in the third minute through unheralded Gopal Thakur. Theodore Sunday was the architect behind the goal. He dodged past Peter Odafe and Anand Vasan after being fed by Mike Okoro from midfield and tapped the ball to unmarked Thakur, who made no mistake.
Conceding an early goal, Mohun Bagan launched a volley of attacks to restore parity and one of them paid dividends when Jose Barreto levelled the score with a splendid right-footer in the 20th minute.
Capitalising on a measured pass from nippy Shylo Malsawmtluanga from the right flank, the Brazilian held the ball in the air and shot home before it dropped, beating Tharangachan Thugshand, the reserve goalkeeper in the absence of Nasim Akhtar.
Mohammedan Sporting utilised Anit Ghosh and Madhav Das of Peerless, after signing them on Friday, to bolster their defence and it proved successful. The two, along with Bijoy Das, stood firm to repulse attacks from Barreto and Shylo.
Mohammedans had drawn their opener against Air India 1-1 at home and were thrashed 0-3 by Sporting Clube de Goa and 0-2 by JCT.
Bagan lost to Mumbai FC 1-2, drew 1-1 with Air India and lost to Sporting Clube 0-2.
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