WIFA - The Western India Football Association

Mumbai Customs rallied strongly from a one goal deficit to overcome a 10-man Central Railway 4-2 in a closely fought semi-final clash of the MDFA RCF-Nadkarni Cup Football Tournament, being played at the RCF Sports Complex ground, Chembur on Tuesday evening.

The railway outfit were reduced to ten men after defender Robin Joseph was red carded for a second bookable offence midway through the second session.

Hekmat Singh, Francisco Salin, Mathias Coutinho and Vaibhav Karpe scored a goal each to ensure Customs passage to the summit round. Karim Shaikh struck a goal in each half, the first from a penalty award, for the railway outfit.

Both teams started off on a positive note and went on the offensive from the opening whistle. As a results fare dished was quite exciting and there was plenty of action in from of goal at either end.

Central forged ahead in the 17^th minute when Karim Shaikh successfully converted a penalty. But, Customs fought back well and managed to draw level through Hekmat Singh who capitalised on a lapse by the rival defence and goalkeeper Pradeep Kumar in the 30^th minute before Francisco Salin atoned for his earlier misses, when he finally found the back of the net in the 42^nd minute to help Customs snatch the lead. Central squandered a golden opportunity to restore parity when Allwyn Dyanprakash failed to convert a penalty in the second minute of additional period of the first-half.

In the second session, Customs, taking advantage of the situation of their opponents playing with man short, added two more goals through Mathias Coutinho and Vaibhav Karpe to seal their win and a passage to the final. In between those two goals, Karim got his second to reduce the margin for the railway outfit.

Customs have now advanced to their second final this season. They had earlier won the MDFA Independence Cup, having defeated Central Railway 1-0 in the title clash last August. They will now take on debutants and Durand Cup losing semi-finalists, Dorsal FC, in Thursday’s final at 3.00 pm.

Results- Nadkarni Cup (semi-finals), at RCF ground, Chembur:

Mumbai Customs 4 (Hekmat Singh, Francisco Salin, Mathias Coutinho, Vaibhav Karpe) beat Central Railway 2 (Karim Shaikh 2).