I-League 2015/16: Mohun Bagan reclaim top spot after scrappy draw

ByAmlan Majumdar, SportsCafe Editor

02/17/2016

Defending champions Mohun Bagan returned to the top of the table despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Shillong Lajong at the Barasat District Sports Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday. Konsham Chinglensana Singh scored the goal for the away side in the first half before Jeje cancelled it out in the 59th minute.

Starting Line-ups:

Mohun Bagan: Debjit (GK), Sarthak, Dhanachandra, Debnath, Luciano, Bikramjit, Katsumi (C), Kean, Norde, Jeje, Glen

Shillong Lajong: Kaith (GK), Konsham, Pritam, Gurung, Aibor, Shadap, Uilliams, Jacob, Fabio, Zodingliana, Orji

A 2-0 win away against Bengaluru last Saturday had helped defending champions Mohun Bagan rise to the second position in the table, and Sanjoy Sen’s team went into the match against Shillong Lajong expecting three points to reclaim top spot in the league. The Mariners made two changes to their XI with Sarthak Golui and Bikramjit coming in for Pronay Halder and Raju Gaikwad.

Shillong, on the other hand, had played out a goalless draw against Aizawl FC in the North-East derby and lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Fabio Pena and Uilliams start upfront.

The Brazilian pair of Fabio Pena and Uilliams looked dangerous from the opening minute giving problems to fellow Brazilian Luciano Sabrosa and Kingshuk Debnath in the Mohun Bagan defence. With the Mariners taking a lackadaisical approach and giving the Shillong players a free run near the box, a goal looked inevitable, and it arrived in the 30th minute. A corner from Uilliams was helped on by Aiborlang Khongjee at the near post, and Konsham Chinglensana Singh tapped the ball into the net to give Shillong a 1-0 lead.

The goal woke up Bagan from their slumber with the defending champions almost hitting back the very next minute. Vishal Kaith made a mess of an easy catch in the Shillong box, and it gave Sony Norde an easy chance to score the equaliser. But Aiborlang Khongjee blocked the striker’s scuffed effort and cleared the ball to keep Shillong’s lead intact. The Mariners pushed forward in search of the goal and made quite a few chances in the last 15 minutes of the half only to see the final product missing.

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With the attacking momentum now with Mohun Bagan, they started the second half from where they had stopped in the first and smashed in the equalizer in the 59th minute through Jeje. Bikramjit found the Indian international forward with a pass inside the box and a brilliant first touch from Jeje took the ball away from the defender before he smashed the ball into the back of the net.

The goal also produced some reactions from the Shillong bench where a usually calm and cool Thangboi Singto seemed really angry about the referee’s decision that didn’t go their way. With Balwant Singh replacing Cornell Glen, the Mariners looked a lot more fluent in the attack and came close to their second in the 80th minute with Yusa Katsumi smashing the ball straight at Kaith from close range and Balwant somehow finding to head the ball on to the post from right under the bar. However, Shillong held their nerve in the final few minutes to earn a well-deserved draw against the defending champions.

Although they were unable to earn the win, Mohun Bagan moved back to the top of the table on goal difference after earning a point from the draw.