Kolkata: Former champions Aizawl FC grabbed their first win of the I-League season after defeating Gokulam Kerala FC 2-0 at the Mohun Bagan Training Ground here on Wednesday.
Strikes from Malsawmzuala (40th) and Lalrammawia (76th) were enough to hand Aizawl the three points.
Aizawl FC started the match on an attacking note and they could have taken the lead in the third minute had Lalremsanga”s header off a cross from the right flank not been heroically saved by the opposition custodian.
Gokulam Kerala FC mostly relied on counter-attacks and in the 21st minute, their Afghan import Sharif Mohammad found Philip Adjah with an inch-perfect through ball. Adjah, however, failed to dink the ball over an onrushing goalkeeper.
Adjah found himself in action once again in the 33rd minute but his shot from a tight angle got lost in the jungle of Aizawl legs as it went out for a corner.
The breakthrough for Aizawl FC came in the 40th minute when Malsawmzuala was brought down inside the box after a cross from the right-wing. The forward slotted it comfortably from the spot to give Aizawl the lead.
Both teams could have gone into the tunnel on level terms had Sharif Mohammad”s freekick from the edge of the box not hit the woodwork. But as things stood, Aizawl led at half-time.
In the 62nd minute, Dennis Antwi tried to curl one into the top corner around the goalkeeper, but hit the woodwork as Aizawl FC survived another scare.
Gokulam Kerala pressed hard for the equaliser, committing more men in attack. In the 69th minute, Philip Adjah was handed a golden opportunity to score after he was put through on goal by a sublime through ball from Jitin.
Adjah, however, shot straight to the keeper.
With Gokulam not taking chances in front of goal, Aizawl FC killed the game in the 76th minute when Lalrammawia connected a corner kick and side-footed the ball into the back of the net. PTI
