After defeating Tiddim Road Athletic Union 3-1, Mohun Bagan tightened their grip on the first spot with 35 points from 14 matches. They now boast of a 13-point lead over nearest rival Punjab FC, who sit second with 22 points from 14 games. Churchill Brothers, in third place, have 20 points but have a game in hand.
If Churchill win all their remaining matches, they can get to 41 points. And Bagan just need to equal that tally to become champions, since they have a better head-to-head record against the Red Machines.
After playing a couple of matches away from home, the Green and Maroon brigade will return to their usual stomping ground at the Kalyani Municipality Stadium for the next two matches against Chennai City FC and Aizawl FC respectively.
I-League
If Kibu Vicuna's men can get the maximum points from these fixtures they will reach the magic figure of 41. Therefore, they have the chance of wrapping up the league title in front of their home fans.
But it also means that the Kolkata Derby against East Bengal on March 15 loses its significance as the result might not have any bearing on the title race.
The Red and Golds are currently fourth-placed with 19 points from 14 matches and hence they can finish with a maximum of 37 points.
It must also be remembered that Mohun Bagan had let the championship slip away from their grip with a narrow 1-0 loss against Aizawl in the 2016-17 season. Now, it will be sweet revenge for the Bagan faithful if they can claim their second I-League title by beating the same opponents on March 10, provided they can beat Chennai City first.
