Bangalore: Mohammedan Sporting qualified for the next edition of I-League first division after they played out a goalless draw with Bhawanipore FC in their penultimate match of the final phase of the 2nd Division here on Thursday.
The draw is what Rangdajied United would have wanted to see as they remain ahead of Bhawanipore by two points in second place.
After playing nine matches, and with 18 points in their kitty, Mohammedan are on top of the table.
The Kolkata side are back in the top tier after a gap of four years. They last played in the I-League in the 2008/09 season.
Fellow Kolkata club Bhawanipore – 14 points from nine matches – stay third behind Rangdajied who are on 16 points after playing the same number of matches.
RUFC will now take on Mohammedan on Saturday, the same day that Bhawanipore go up against Mumbai Tigers.
A win for the Shillong club will put them through no matter what happens in the other match.
But if the match ends in a draw, and Bhawanipore beat the Tigers, then whoever has a better goal difference will go through.
Meanwhile, speaking to the AIFF, Mohammedan president Sultan Ahmed said that the century-old club’s job is only half done.
“It was sad that we were out of the I-League for so long. Now that we have qualified, our aim is to stay in the I-League. We have not managed to do that in the past. I maintain that the job is only half done,” he said. (PTI)