Captain Mike Okoro helped Mohammedan Sporting salvage a 2-2 draw against Chirag United SC who wasted chances galore in their Round 18 ONGC I-League encounter at the Vidyasagar Krirangan in Barasat on Saturday.
It was a marauding United SC who dominated and called the shots against an out-of-sorts Mohammedan Sporting backline.
United SC drew first blood in the 17th minute with their Nigerian recruit Subair Muritala Ali making amends for his lapse minutes earlier.
Having missed a Snehashish Chakraborty centre near the post, Muritala was right on target capitalising on a Daniel Bidemi square to give United an early 1-0 lead, much to the dismay of relegation-wary Mohammedan Sporting.
United SC, who were way ahead in terms of coordination and attack, in fact, should have taken the lead when striker Shankar Oraon missed a sitter minutes after the first goal.
Three minutes after taking the lead, United midfielder Denson Devadas' shot from top of the box with Mohammedan Sporting's goalkeeper Naseem Akhtar completely out of position hit the crossbar.
After the lemon break, Mohammedan Sporting looked a shade better, with their defence line looking regrouped.
The improved show resulted in Shabbir Ali's boys getting the equaliser through Suraj Mondal. The youngster slammed home in the 58th minute capitalising on an Eugene Gray pass.
United SC regained regained the lead in the 75th minute with a brilliant diagonal left-footer from Oraon which was enough to beat a stretched-out Akhtar.
Oraon was adjudged Man-of-the-Match.
When it seemed all over for Mohammedan Sporting, Okoro made his presence felt with his back-volley equaliser in the 79th minute.
From a Satyajit Bose corner, which was deflected by United SC goalkeeper Robikanta Singh Chongtham, Okoro followed the ball and unleashed a fine back-volley to salvage a draw for his team.
With the one point from today's match, United SC took their tally to 21 while Mohammedan Sporting remained in the relegation zone with 16 points.
More from rediff