I League: Mohun Bagan Held 1-1 By East Bengal In Kolkata Derby

Cornell-Glen
Trinidadian World Cupper Cornell Glen scored the all important equaliser for Mohun Bagan in the I League derby at Salt Lake Stadium . Image Source : Xtra Time

Kolkata – Favourites Mohun Bagan were held to a 1-1 draw in the I League derby today at the Salt Lake stadium . Ranty Martins gave East Bengal the lead in the 63 rd minute while Mohun Bagan equalized through Cornell Glen as the leaders kept their lead on the table with seven points from three matches.
East Bengal remained third with five points from three matches.
Having started as favourites, defending champions and leaders Mohun Bagan dished out a lackluster display in the first-half as East Bengal dominated the proceedings before Ranty Martins drew the first blood in the 63rd minute to break the deadlock in front of a turnout of 62342.
A brilliant centre from left-half Bikash Jairu with a superb run set up an unmarked Ranty up front as the Nigerian fired in to the goal with his big stride leaving Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Debjit Majumder hardly any room.
Down 0-1 and the green and maroon fans silenced, Sanjoy Sen finally brought in the in-form India forward Jeje Lalpekhlua in place of Souvik Chakraborty in the 73rd minute, something that sped up their intensity.
Mohun Bagan finally arrested their slide in the 77th minute Glen’s powerful header from a Sony Norde  free kick brought the much awaited goal for the home side.

Ranty-Martins
Nigerian Ranty Martins gave East Bengal the lead in the I League derby on Saturday . Image Source : Xtra Time

 

The Haitian recruit who was brilliantly marked in Rahul Bheke throughout the match finally came good  from a 25-yard free kick and it was left for Glen to accomplish the job with his superb header that kissed East Bengal goalkeeper TP Rehenesh’s hand before finding the back of the net.
Strange it may sound but Mohun Bagan coach Sen started Jeje from the bench as his strategy was a big letdown for Mohun Bagan who were on a two-match winning run and were tipped favourites to avenge their 0-4 defeat earlier this season, in the Kolkata League.
Their trump card in Norde too was a failure as he hardly was seen moving in with the ball with youngster Bheke doing a neat job in his right-back position as East Bengal coach Biswajit Bhattacharya’s strategy was a masterstroke.
After a standout performance in the regulation time, Bheke’s biggest moment came in the dying minutes of 90+1st minute when his last ditch tackle with an acrobatic move denied Norde to get his name in the score sheet and Mohun Bagan a grudge win.
It was Rehenesh’s  save off Glen’s header that rebounded as the ball almost fell to Norde who was lurking in front but Bheke stood tall.
Mohun Bagan midfield looked very much lackluster with little movement at all as the the opponents easily traversed through them and created more chances in a first-half dominated by East Bengal.
There were some gripping moves by both the teams but East Bengal kept Mohun Bagan on the toes in an entertaining first-half which however did not yield any goal.
The best chance of the first 45 minutes came in the injury time when East Bengal’s Under-22 quota Abinash Ruidas with a lovely overlapping run down the left set up Dong and the South Korean’s angled header just went wide of the far post.
While Mohun Bagan’s midfield was a big letdown, their defence too had some nervous moments with Pritam Kotal disappointing in a big way and it was their star Brazilian defender Luciano Sabrosa’s brilliant interception on more than one occasions that kept their score sheet blank.
After the changeover, Mohun Bagan played with more intensity but East Bengal who went home with their heads held high snatching a point from the ‘favourites’.