Mohammedan Sporting are just a point away from lifting their maiden I-League crown.
Sreenidi Deccan FC — the only team with a mathematical chance to challenge for the title — saw their slim hopes shrink further as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Neroca FC at the SSA Stadium in Shillong on Thursday.
The result means that with just two rounds to go, Deccan FC with 44 points are trailing Mohammedan Sporting by 5 points. The Kolkata side will face Lajong on the road on Saturday before hosting Delhi FC a week later. Andrey Chernyshov’s team needs just a point from these two matches to seal the title given that they have advantage over Deccan FC on head-to-head count.
Mohammedan Sporting could have even emerged champions on Thursday itself when Neroca — playing the entire second half after Ronaldo Nongthombam’s expulsion for double booking — took the lead through Rohit Meetei’s penalty in the 70th minute.
Stung by the reversal, Deccan FC coach Carlos Vaz Pinto threw more attackers in the field. One of the substitutes, David Castaneda earned a penalty 12 minutes later when he was tripped by Neroca’s Baoringdao Bodo inside the box. The Colombian striker stepped up to convert it with ease and rescued a point for Deccan FC, thus keeping them afloat in the title race for at least two more days.
In an open game, Deccan could have even returned with full points had Castaneda and others not missed a flurry of sitters in the final few minutes of the game.
