Mohun Bagan beats the defending champions to get back to the winning ways

MB vs Aizawl 070118 rr (18)
Dipanda Dicka celebrate after scoring a goal against Aizawl FC. Image Source: XtraTime

 

Kolkata: City giant Mohun Bagan faced defending champions Aizawl FC in an all important encounter at Yuva Bharati Krirangan under their new head coach Shankarlal Chakraborty today. The match will give them some breathing space in the I-League as they won 2-0.

However, Bagan drew three matches and lost their last home match and a result Sanjoy Sen had to resign hearing “Go back” slogans from the supporters. It wasn’t a very impressive attendance for Sunday afternoon as the official turnout was 5,712.

Bagan looked positive as they had easy chances in the first half of the match but, failed to convert it in the final third. In the 9th minute of the game Dipanda Dicka failed to read a beautiful cross from Arijit Bagui into the box and Laldinliana cleared it in the end.

Aizawl also had a chance in the 14th minute as Kareem Nuraian delivered a thunderous shot from a long range that swung late to hit the right bar behind a flying Shilton Paul.

The home side had the best chance in the 17th minute Arijit crossed again looking for Dicka who comes in sniffing distance of making a contact but goalkeeper Avilash Paul scampers to get hold of that before Dicka could get to it.

The crowd saw the first goal of the match in the most dramatic of fashion as Masih Saighani outstretched leg to deny Dicka a finish on the cross ends up inside his own goal. Another case of an empty net but failed to finish for the home side as Kromah heads it towards the empty net in the 62nd minute but it hits the left bar before Saighani comes around to clear it. This was the easiest chance for the home side in the game to double their lead.

It finally came in the 76th minute of the game as Avilash advanced down, Dicka made the most of the long ball by Nikhil to slot it in at an empty post with his left foot to double the lead.

In the dying minutes of the match Saighani put in a cross for Dodoz from the left but Bagan defender heads it away.

It was a delightful football from Mohun Bagan as they overcame criticisms and get back in the winning ways. Aizawl defense wasn’t very organized as the Green & Maroon Brigade produced many chances in the both halves but, coach Shankarlal will not be very happy man for the chances that his team missed.