Jamshedpur, July 30: Mohammed Sanan ticked all the boxes in Jamshedpur FC’s hard-fought win over Indian Army FT in the Durand Cup on Monday as his goal helped the hosts to get important three points.
The young forward netted the only goal of the game early in the second half, pouncing on a loose ball inside the box and calmly guiding it into the bottom left corner. It was a moment that settled a tense encounter, and one that left Sanan beaming after the final whistle.
“It felt amazing,” he said. “As a striker, you always want to be in the right place at the right time, and thankfully the ball came to me in space. I just focused on keeping it low and hitting the target. Scoring in front of the home crowd is always special.”
Sanan has been one of the standout performers for Jamshedpur last seasson, and the performance was another glimpse into his growing confidence under Khalid Jamil’s system.
“The coaches have given me clarity about what they expect from me,” Sanan said. “I’m learning with every game, where to position myself, how to link up and when to make the runs. And the seniors around me are constantly guiding me, which helps a lot.”
It was a game that tested Jamshedpur’s resilience. Indian Army FT played with intensity and came close to equalising late in the match, even after going down to ten men. JFC had to dig deep, especially in the closing stages, to preserve the slender lead.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy,” Sanan said. “They’re a tough, physical side. But in the second half, we told ourselves to stay calm, stay compact, and take our chances when they came. Everyone was pushing each other, staying switched on. That made the difference.”
At the heart of the win was also the connection with the fans. Over 10,000 supporters turned up at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, and their presence was felt.
“Unbelievable,” Sanan said. “The noise they made, especially in the last 15-20 minutes, gave us a real lift. You could feel the energy from the stands, and it helped us keep going when the legs were getting heavy. We’re thankful for their support.”
With six points from two games, Jamshedpur FC now sit in control of Group C heading into the final group match against 1 Ladakh FC on August 8
