Vasco had won their match and move to 6 points from 3 matches while Air India stood on 4 points from 2 matches and Bagan on 3 points from their 2 matches. If Bagan had to advance to the semis, they had to win the match, while Air India needed a win too to advance to the Semis. whereas, a draw would see Vasco go through and play East Bengal. Mohun Bagan came from behind to win a berth for the semis, thanks to Lalkamal Bhowmick and Marcos Periera!
Bagan tried to force the issue and with Ishfaq and Mama and Karim seemed to have the intention of keeping the two flanks active. Bagan did come with a few attacks, but a counter attack from a spilled ball from Marcos, Soccor Velo of Air India rushed in from the left out and scored in the 25th minute. Bagan tried to comeback, but poor play by them saw them through to the end of the first half.
After the second half resumed, Mama was replaced by Lalkamal, and Bagan was rewarded handsomely with a goal. Lalkamal, received a ball from Marcos, and took a shot instantly from outside the penalty box and the keeper stretched in vein.
Minutes later Barreto was tackled from behind just outside the penalty box and Bagan was awarded with a free kick. Marcos took a shot over the head of the wall and the keeper unsighted by his own wall, committed himself on his wrong foot and that was enough to beat him and Marcos scored the second for Bagan in the 59th minute.
All Bagan had to do after this was to defend the lead, but the match had a late twist in the tail as Anand Vasan handled the ball inside his penalty box and Air India was awarded a penalty. The drama continued as Air India man Ravinder put the ball past Sangram, but the goal was over rule as he had taken the shot before the referee had blown his whistle. Ravinder took another penalty, same as the earlier one, this one Sangram saving! The score remained 2-1.
Bagan came close a few times, with Bhaichung and Barreto hitting the upright once each.Mohun Bagan will now meet East Bengal in the Semis and with a defense thus, the prospect for Bagan does not seem bright, but as they say, its a derby, its always 50-50, the team who plays better on that day will win.
However, few worries remain, as the Left back position is virtually non-existent with Mohunraj caught chasing the forwards most of the times and never in position to defend an attack. Probably Rahul Kumar could have been tried on, but that's a risk Karim rather not take and rely on the 19 year old an pray he comes back to his last year's perfromance. Sangram does not seem to confident under bar either and with the derby meeting in the semis, one is reminded of what happened last year and Sangram would surely be needed to pull up his socks if Mohun Bagan has to advance to the finals.
No comments:
Post a Comment