MARGAO: Sporting Clube de Goa humbled Air India 4-1 to become the first team to enter the semi-finals from Group B quarter-finals league in 127th Durand Cup football tournament, at panchayat ground, Raia, on Sunday.
Sporting Clube dominated the match and took a 3-0 lead at half time through Boima Karpeh, Cajetan Fernandes, Clemente Joseph while Anthony Wolfe netted changing over.
Air India were at the receiving end throughout but pulled one back in the 70th minute through substitute Neil Gaikwad.
With one team said to qualify from each group, Sporting Clube topped the group with two consecutive victories.
Air India who drew against United SC finished their league engagement with one point from two matches. Sporting Clube only needed a draw to advance but head coach Oscar Bruzon did not underestimate their opponents.
The Spaniard made two changes, bringing in Cresson Antao and Velito Cruz in place of Keenan Almeida and Rowllin Borges. They started on an attacking note, moving the ball with crisp short passes that kept the rival team off balance.
The Panjim outfit surged ahead in the 15th minute from a penalty after Air India’s Mervin Stephen brought down Anthony Wolfe inside the box and referee Rahul Gupta made no mistake to award the spot-kick in favour of the home team.
Liberian-Australian Boima Karpeh stepped up and converted the spot-kick with calm, 1-0.
Sporting Clube continued to attack and could have doubled their advantage only for rival defender Santosh Koli, who came up with a goalline save to frustrate young striker Mauvin Borges.
However, just before the half hour mark, the Air India citadel gave in after a swift move in the middle marshalled by Velito Cruz saw Boima set up Cajetan and the medio made it 2-0 with a crisp finish.
Clemente Joseph then put the issue beyond doubt after his scorching long anger crashed into the rival net before the break. Earlier, Wolfe’s header hit the crossbar off a flag taken by Mauvin.
Post resumption, the trend continued even though Sporting Clube slackened their pace.
In the 64th minute, striker Anthony Wolfe snatched the ball from rival defender and punted the ball to the far corner of the net to seal the rival fate.
However, Air India pulled a goal back in the 70th minute through substitute Neil Gaikwad after the latter outpaced his marker Cresson Antao and slotted past the keeper.
