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I-League: Inspired Mumbai FC Stun Mohun Bagan
It is the Mumbai side's first victory in the league this season...
02-Nov-2009 6:33:55 PM
Mohun Bagan succumbed to their third defeat of the I-League on Monday, as struggling Mumbai FC savoured the sweet taste of victory for the first time. The visitors took the lead in the very first minute through Abhishek Yadav, and doubled their lead at the end of the half through Bashiru. Bagan threw everything at them in the second period and got one back through an Anas own goal, but Mumbai defended superbly to hold on for the win.
Mohun Bagan started with Shilton Paul in goal, and with Sangram Mandi in the heart of defence, replacing the suspended Rakesh Masih. Mumbai FC made two changes, bringing in Kamaljeet Kumar and Prem Kumar for Kayne Vincent and Nishant Mehra.
No sooner did the match begin, than Mumbai FC scored. The visitors silenced the crowd at the Barasat Stadium inside 32 seconds, as Abhishek Yadav gave them the lead thanks to a loopy header from Subhash CHakraborty's cross, which sneaked into the back of the net over a retreating Shilton Paul, who, along with Surkumar Singh, was to blame for the goal.
Whether Yadav was heading the ball back across goal, or going for goal, wasn't clear, but Mumbai had taken the lead.
There on, Mohun Bagan began to settle down, and started dominating possession with Marcos and Mathani bossing midfield. However, for all their short passing, the home side failed to create any good chances.
Ishfaq, James, and Snehashish were lively, putting in a lot of effort, but none could come up with that killer final ball. Chidi Edeh was left slightly isolated up front, which forced him to come deep to receive the ball at times, but he couldn't influence the game much.
Bencherifa's men were restricted mainly to shots from distance, and the best one of those came from Manish Mathani, whose impressive shot from 25 yards in the 34th minute was parried away by Nidhinlal.
The best chance of the half then fell to the visitors five minutes later, when James Singh curled in a superb cross to the far post, but Ishfaq Ahmed could only head the ball over the bar when it was easier to score.
And only two minutes later, they were made to pay for the miss, as their defence committed footballing harakiri again to gift Mumbai their second goal.
A lofted ball over the top was well beyond Bashiru's reach, but Shilton Paul sprang off his line to race towards the ball, collected it, but his momentum made him crash into Sangram Mandi.
The ball dropped to the ground, and Bashiru had the simple task of slotting it into the empty net to double Mumbai's lead in the 41st minute, which lasted until half time.
Bagan replaced Ishfaq Ahmed with Branco Cardozo at half time, in an attempt to throw men forward, but that left spaces at the back, which Mumbai FC almost capitalized on.
Goalscorer Bashiru was in acres of space on the left ten minutes into the second half, but his touch on the ball was poor, and Sangram Mandi was able to retreat and dispossess him before he could get a shot away.
Abhishek Yadav was found in space similary on the right flank four minutes later, but his cross to Bashiru was headed back across goal by the latter instead of attacked, and Bagan intercepted.
However, just when Mumbai looked dangerous on the counter attack, they got one goal back, thanks to super-sub Branco Cardozo. The striker slammed the ball from a tight angle towards goal, and Nidhinlal parried it straight to Snehashish Chakraborty. The winger's first touch was poor, and Anas, who raced in trying to clear, could only slice it into the back of his own net under pressure.
The home side took control of the game thereafter, and almost equalized when Chidi Edeh hit the post in the 68th minute. The striker received the ball from Cardozo, turned in an instant and got his shot away, but the woodwork denied him.
Karim Bencherifa, in an attempt to go for the jugular, put on Tomba Singh and Kulothungan in place of Sangram Mandi and Snehashish Chakraborty, but the team, depite threatening on many occasions, failed to create any clear-cut chances.
Tomba Singh looked impressive, and Cardozo continued his good work, especially when he played in Kulothungan in the 84th minute, but the former Mumbai FC man could only send his shot over the bar from 8 yards, under pressure from his marker!
Bagan kept hoofing the ball into the Mumbai box time and again, but the visitors showed immense character and determination to thwart each one of the home side's attacks, playing as if their lives were on the line.
Right at the end, in the fifth and final minute of injury time, Kulothungan sent in a cross for Marcos inside the box, but he was dispossessed, and Mumbai's miscued clearance rolled inches wide of the post for a corner!
However, Mumbai regained their composure and saw out the final few seconds, sealing a crucial and morale-boosting victory. Goalkeeper Nithinlal was named Man of the Match.
Goalscorers:
Mohun Bagan: Anas Edatodika O.G. (60')
Mumbai FC: Abhishek Yadav (1'), Bashiru Abbas (41')
Atishay Agarwal
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