First half penalty from Cornelius Stewart fired TC Sports Club to third place of the table with a narrow 1-0 victory against Club Eagles in Male’ League.
TC Sports Club are leveled on 10 points with Club Green Street but they are ahead on superior goal difference.
Even though Club Eagles were missing some of their key players, TC Sports Club failed to capitalize on this rare occasion.
Just around 15th minute of the first half, TC Sports Club Nafiu was presented with the first chance of the game but his shot was blocked by Eagles Keeper Sujan Pereira for corner.
A minute later, TC Sports Club broke the deadlock when Cornelius Stewart was brought down inside the box by Solah Ali, the referee didn’t hesitate to award TC Sports Club the penalty. The resulting penalty was calmly converted by Stewart for the opening goal of the match.
In the 17th minute, Club Eagles first chance fell to Ahmed Rizwan but his shot went straight to the Keeper Kiran.
Even after TC Sports Club’s early goal they had further chances to increase their lead. First it was Ibrahim Waheed, whose shot was blocked Club Eagles defenders and then the effort from Ibrahim Mahudhee from inside the box was punched for a corner by Eagles Keeper Sujan Pereira.
Ten minutes before the break, TC Sports Club Keeper Kiran denied an equalizer for Club Eagles when he punched Mohamed Naim’s goal bound cross from outside the box for a corner.
Five minutes into the second half, Ali Nafiu missed a crucial chance to double TC Sports Club’s lead but his shot went straight to the keeper Sujan.
Ibrahim Aisam of Club Eagles fired a free kick from outside the box straight into the gloves of Keeper Kiran inside 55 minutes.
Four minutes later, it was Aisam again for Eagles as his shot from outside the box went inches over the bar.
In the 68th minute, TC Sports Club were denied another chance to increase their lead when Ibrahim Waheed’s shot was cleared off the goal line by Eagles defender Ahmed Zaad.
Before the end of the second half, there were further chances for TC to increase their lead, first it was their captain Nafiu who failed to connect with a brilliant cross from down the right flank. Then Mahudhee fired his shot over the bar from inside the box.
After their loss against TC, Club Eagles are still at fifth place of the table with just 7 points from 6 games.
In the next game of Male’ League, Club Green Streets will play against the league leaders New Radiant on tonight at 2100hrs.