AIFF rejected BFC’s application for a change in the date of the finals
Internet Desk: Debjit Mazumdar, the Mohun Bagan goalie is certainly having the time of his life. Barely 42 hours after being called up for the National Team he becomes the Man of the Match in Fed Cup Semi Finals and too against Bagan’s arch rivals East Bengal.
Debjit put up a brilliant performance that saw his side defeat the Red and Gold brigade 2-0 in a classic Kolkata derby in Cuttack.
Scot striker Darryl Duffy put the Mariners on the lead when he scored the goal in the first half which was ultimately doubled by a brilliant scissor kick from Balwant Singh in the second half of the match. East Bengal on the other hand created many goal scoring chances but failed to score any.
The Bagan keeper who kept an all important score-sheet in the derby is jubilant on the team’s performance. “We played well as a team and won the game. Becoming the man of the match feels good but nothing beats the feeling of winning the derby” said Mazumder.
Fatherless Debjit decided to dedicate his performance to his mother on the auspicious occasion of mother’s day. He also thanked all the Bagan fans who had travelled all the way from Kolkata to Cuttack to watch the all important Kolkata derby.
Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen is happy with his team’s performance but he believes a lot of work is left and there is no need to celebrate on wining the derby. Sen is not contented on winning the derby and has his main focus on the final prize. He further added that derby matches are un-predictable, his side was firm and didn’t succumb under pressure and ultimately emerged victorious.
“We won against them in the I-League but we couldn’t win the trophy and it became meaningless, here we defeated them but our goal is to win the Fed Cup” added Sen.
He also added that Sony Norde is an important player of his team, but if in any game Norde fails to perform then the team doesn’t stop, as the team is never dependent on any particular player.
Defeating rivals is not a matter of concern the Bagan coach, whose sole worry at the moment is to defeat Bengaluru FC in the finals.
Haitian forward Sony Norde who also was one of the star performer in the derby added said that his team will go all out in the finals and is determined to win the silver wire.
“We have one game left; we need to prepare after the game of AFC Cup for the Fed Cup finals. The team is also in a good shape. It’s not in every game I will score, but when my partners Duffy, Jeje score I become very happy” said Norde.
Bengaluru FC had submitted a letter to AIFF claiming that it would be difficult for them to play the finals on the 21st of May and would play the game on 24th of May instead as they have an AFC Cup game against Mohun Bagan as Rabindra Sarabor Stadium. AIFF however replied that the schedule won’t be changed and the finals will take place on the scheduled date.
Mohun Bagan Asst Secretary Srinjoy Bose without naming anyone took a dig at BFC and said “We all know about the schedule, even we will have to play the games; we too have players suffering and recovering from injuries. If we can play the game, then why can’t they?”