Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting — the top two from the Calcutta league — played out a 1-1 draw at the Salt Lake Stadium in their I-League encounter on Sunday. The result leaves both sides on two points from four matches — just above bottom placed Vasco SC in the league standings.
Saddled with injuries both Shabbir Ali and Karim Bencharifa were forced to field makeshift sides. The patchwork Mohammedan Sporting defence saw the on-loan pair from Peerless, Madhab Das and Anit Ghosh in central positions and Gurpreet Singh and Bijoy Das as the side backs. At the other end, Deepak Mondal slotted in the unusual role of right back, with Peter Odafe and Anand Vasan playing in the heart of defence. Bencharifa kept his faith on the low on confidence Mohan Raj at the left back position.
When the Bagan defence was breached first, three minutes from kick-off , most interpreted it as an early sign for a blockbuster Sunday. It was the brilliant Theodore Sunday who created the goal for young Goutam Thakur. The Liberian intercepted a through ball from Mike Okoro and skipped past Peter Odafe’s challenge. He then somehow managed to keep his balance as custodian Shilton Paul charged forward.
After rounding the keeper, Sunday showed his acumen as a clever cutback to Thakur, 10 yards from the goal left the youngster with little to do. Bagan were down by a goal, before they realised what hit them.
What followed next was a fierce onslaught from the green and maroon brigade. Barreto came close twice with headers going wide off Mohan Raj’s long throws. The bumbling pair of Madhab and Anit lived dangerously before succumbing in the 23rd minute. Malswamtluanga’s low cross from the outside right wasn’t cut out by Anit and Bijoy and it landed at Jose Ramirez Barreto’s feet on the bounce. The Brazilian then rolled back the years — first teeing it up with a single touch and then volleying home, while falling backwards. 1-1 and a thrilling showdown was on the cards.
Sunday and Rakesh Masih came close with efforts on target before the interval. The second half saw Mohammedan Sporting get off the blocks quicker. Sunday who despite carrying an injury showed his class time and again with sharp turns and silken control, came close in the 63rd minute.
Shilton was stretched to parry out the striker’s crack on goal after he controlled Gurpreet’s pass perfectly.
Thakur had a chance to win it for his side, but he headed over the crosspiece when instead he had to nod it in from point blank in the 70th minute. The reply from Bagan never quite came, as the game disintegrated steadily in the last quarter.
The mindless action on the pitch, similar to an average pinball game saw aimless kicks and misdirected passes before the referee blew for time.
TEAMS
Mohun Bagan: Shilton Paul, Deepak Mondal, Peter Odafe, Anand Vasan, Mohan Raj, S. Malswamtluanga(Tapan Maity, 78’), L. James Singh(Henry Gangte, 65’), Rakesh Masih, Lalkamal Bhowmick(Kartick Kisku, 85’), Ishfaq Ahmed, Jose Ramirez Barreto
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