Durand Cup: Indian Navy beat Delhi FC

KOLKATA : Indian Navy outplayed second division side Delhi FC 2-1 in their opening Group C match of the 130th Durand Cup football tournament at the Mohun Bagan ground here on Wednesday. Central defender Dalraj Singh scored the winner late in the second half off a towering header from a flag-kick. Earlier Trinidadian Willis Plaza had put the Delhi side ahead in the 21st minute of the first half, only for the sailors to equalise through V. Shreyas four minutes later.

The game was fought on an even keel with the Navy finishing as the stronger side. The Delhi team had four foreigners, Brazilian Sergio Barbosa Junior, Nigerian Ekom Philips, and Gambian Dawda Cessay giving Plaza company on the field, but in the end, they were of no avail against a spirited Navy performance.

Prolific goal scorer in the top divisions of Indian football, Willis Deon Plaza of Trinidad and Tobago scored his first Durand Cup goal to give Delhi the lead, 21 minutes into the game. He got at the end of a floating ball inside the box off a very pleasing attacking move by Reinreithan Shaiza and Dawda Cessay, to drive it past the Navy keeper Bhaskar Roy.

Navy, however, hit back almost immediately when a cross from the right by Nihal Sudeesh saw Shreyas, who had a fantastic game overall, swoop in between Delhi defenders inside the six-yard box for a clinical finish. The goal boosted the Navy side no end and coach Abhilash Nair also affected early changes bringing in Sarabjit Singh for Jijo in midfield. (IANS)

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