Jamshedpur, July 29 (NationPress) A brilliant second-half goal from Sanan Mohammed propelled Jamshedpur FC to a 1-0 victory over Indian Army FT, marking their second straight win in Group C of the 134th Durand Cup, held at the JRD Tata Sports Complex.

This triumph gives Jamshedpur FC six points from two matches, placing them at the top of the group, inching closer to the knockout rounds.

Head coach Khalid Jamil made two pivotal changes to his starting eleven, introducing Karthik Choudhary and Sourav Das in place of Sarthak Goloui and Lalhriatpuia Chawngthu. In contrast, Indian Army head coach Manish Wahi fielded an experienced lineup in a 4-3-3 formation, featuring Rahul Ramakrishnan, Liton Shil, Shubham Rana, and Samir Murmu, who made his debut for Jamshedpur FC in the ISL last season.

The first half saw the Indian Army controlling play, creating numerous opportunities. They nearly scored twice in the opening 15 minutes, with Samir Murmu narrowly missing from a tight angle and Samananda Singh heading wide from a corner. Jamshedpur FC struggled to compete with the Army's physical presence, as Lethaolen Khongsai and P. Christopher Kamei dominated midfield. Samir came close again, but his shot was thwarted by goalkeeper Amrit Gope.

In response, the Red Miners resorted to long balls and throw-ins to penetrate the Army defense, though with limited success. Amrit Gope made a crucial save to deny B. Sunil in added time, keeping the scores level at halftime.

At the start of the second half, Khalid Jamil made two substitutions, bringing on V P Suhair and Nikhil Barla for Vincy Barretto and Pronay Halder to boost their attacking momentum. Jamshedpur FC took the lead in the 52nd minute when a long throw led to Sanan Mohammed chesting the ball and finishing past Sayad Bin Abdul Kadir.

After taking the lead, Jamshedpur FC maintained better control, even though the Indian Army held most of the possession and attempted shots. Their closest chance to score came when Liton Shil hit the crossbar late in the match.

As the match neared its end, drama unfolded when Sayad Bin Abdul Kadir was sent off for a challenge on Jayesh Rane outside the box. Defender Samananda Singh took over goalkeeping duties for the final moments as the Indian Army pushed for an equalizer. V P Suhair also struck the crossbar just before the final whistle as Jamshedpur FC secured a hard-fought three points.