Defending champions Indian Navy scored a 7-3 win against Mumbai Port Trust in the concluding Super Division match of the MHAL League 2017-2018, at the MHAL-Mahindra Stadium, Churchgate on Friday evening. But the margin of victory was not sufficient to take through to the final.
Indian Navy, Central Railway and Mumbai Customs, all finished with the same number of 17 points in the 9-team league. Central had a superior goal-differential of +17 (goals for 34 and goals against 17), Customs had finished with goal difference of +11 (28 for and 17 against). Navy who started the match today with a goal difference of +6 had to win by a clear six goals margin to pip Customs and qualify for the final.
The Navymen started with a flourish and took the lead in the third minute and later scored four more goals, but they also leaked in two goals during this period and went into the break with a 5-2 advantage. However, after changing ends, they were unable to live up to their task and simply lacked ideas in front of the rival citadel. They forced the pace but lack of planning and team work cost them dear as they could only score two more goals and conceded one, and fell short of their target and had to make their exit.
Mohit Thakur (3rd min), Heera Singh (11th min), Amit Goswami (16th min), Jugraj Singh (24th min), Rana Pratap (35th min), Ajinkya Jadhav (46th min) and Bharat Singh (63rd) were on target for the sailors, while Mumbai Port Trust scored though a brace from Satish Patil (6th & 26th mins) and Ravi Panche (57th).
Mumbai Port Trust goalkeeper Akshay Kumar Singh who made quite a number of saves won the ‘Man of the Match’ award and he received a cash award of Rs 1,000.
The title deciding match Central Railway and Mumbai Customs will be played on Monday, November 13 at 4.00 pm.
Results: Indian Navy 7 (Mohit Thakur 3rd, Heera Singh 11th, Amit Goswami 16th, Jugraj Singh 24th, Rana Pratap 35th, Ajinkya Jadhav 46th, Bharat Singh 63rd) beat Mumbai Port Trust 3 (Satish Patil 6th, 26th, Ravi Panche 57th). MoM: Akshay Kumar Singh (Mumbai Port Trust – Goalkeeper).