File photo of Yan Law.
Mohammedan Sporting put up an improved performance in the I-League Qualifiers crushing ARA FC 4-1 at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Sunday but in a surprising move coach Yan Law was sacked with immediate effect.
In the second match of the day in Kalyani, FC Bengaluru United rode on Opoku's eighth minute goal to for a hard-fought 1-0 win over Garhwal FC.
Having lost to Bhawanipore FC 0-2, this was the Bengaluru ouftit's first win of the tournament as they moved to third spot in the five-team table.
Mohammedan Sporting lead points tally with two wins from two matches, followed by city rivals Bhawanipore FC. The group toppers after one round of play will qualify for the I-League 2020-21.
Nepalese striker Abhishek Rijal, making his Mohammedan debut, scored a first half brace (21st and 45th minute), while Willis Plaza (13th) and Sheikh Faiaz (89th) struck one each to hand the Black Panthers their second win from as many matches. An own goal by Mohammedan Sporting defender Safiul Rahman in the 58th minute reduced the margin for the Ahmedabad-based ARA FC who were playing their first match of the tournament.
However after the match, club Akram tweeted a statement of the coach's sacking which certainly isn't performance-related.
"The employment of head coach Yan Cheng Law with Mohammedan Sporting Club is terminated with immediate effect," Akram's statement was tweeted on club's official website.
The Kolkata outfit, which scraped past Garwhal FC by a solitary goal in their opening fixture, made six changes to their side and it was Plaza who put the team ahead in the 13th minute after being set up by Vanlalbiaa Chhangte.
Chhangte was once again at the heart of the attack, creating the second goal with 21-year-old Rijal doing the finishing job from the close range.
Just before half-time, Rijal initiated a brilliant team move with a hard tackle on the left flank and continued his run into the rival box, taking the ball off the feet of Chhangte to bury it past the keeper and give his team a 3-0 lead.
Mohammedan Sporting capped off a dominant performance with a fourth strike when Faiaz slotted home off a through-ball from substitute Shamsad Ali. ARA FC are yet to open their account and remain at the bottom of the table.
