Mohun Bagan Super Giant escaped to victory against Kerala Blasters and opened up a gap with Bengaluru FC that could be difficult to close. They have a two-point advantage (26-24) with a match in hand. A win at FC Goa on December 20 could reduce the Indian Super League (ISL) title race to a procession.
Coach Jose Molina said this was the worst Mohun Bagan had played this term. Vishal Kaith tarred a good night with errors that led to Kerala Blasters making it 1-1 and then moving ahead 2-1. Mohun Bagan started sloppily and were second best for most of the second half. And yet they ran out 3-2 winners. “Difficult to believe that we will go home with nothing in the bag,” said Kerala Blasters coach Mikael Stahre.
Jamie Maclaren had put the home team ahead in the 33rd minute but with his ninth goal of the season, Jesus Jimenez made it 1-1 in the 51st before central defender Milos Drinic made it 2-1 in the 77th. Showing again the depth of their squad, Mohun Bagan hit back through goals from Jason Cummings (86th) and Alberto Rodriguez (90+5). They have now won seven of their last eight games.
After what Manvir Singh and Liston Colaco did to NorthEast United, it was expected that Kerala Blasters would focus on reining in Mohun Bagan’s wide players. They did with good old-fashioned man marking from Muhammed Saheef and Sandeep Singh. It forced Mohun Bagan through the middle but before they got caught in traffic, Kaith was called into action.
The first came in the second minute when Lalengmawia Ralte conceded possession starting what would be a trend in the first quarter for the home team. Noah Sadoui’s shot from range took a deflection and it needed Kaith to fly and get a hand. Two minutes later, Sadoui found Jiminez who tried what he had successfully against Bengaluru FC. Kaith was alert and collected the back-heel.
With an arc of five defending and Freddy Lallawmawma and Danish Farooq providing the backline more protection, the game didn’t open in the way Mohun Bagan want it to. And Mohun Bagan were lucky that referee Venkatesh R didn’t think Tom Aldred’s hand was in an unusual position when he tried to head Sandeep Singh’s cross that was dying on the central defender.
The first half-an-hour had gone the way of Kerala Blasters but as has been the case for them this season, they conceded a poor goal. Ashish Rai’s hopeful drive from range was inexplicably pushed by Kerala Blasters’ young goalkeeper Sachin Suresh instead of trying to grip the shot. Maclaren didn’t need a second invitation.
Pritam Kotal too must take his share of the blame because the former Mohun Bagan defender was nor as switched-on as Maclaren. This was the 13th successive away game that Blasters had conceded. Far from their best, Mohun Bagan went into half-time in front. With only four touches in the first half, and one inside the penalty area, Maclaren had ensured that.
Credit to Kerala Blasters for pushing up and pressuring Mohun Bagan in the second half. It led to the equaliser though Kaith’s decision to play out from the back through Subhasish Bose was questionable. This time, Jimenez made no mistake. Late in the first half, he wasn’t able to keep his shot on target with only Kaith to beat.
Sadoui tested Mohun Bagan twice but even Kerala Blasters wouldn’t have expected to have gone ahead in the way they did. Adrian Luna’s free-kick was thrown in the mix and after Kaith spilled it, Drinic converted. For the first time since November 10, Mohun Bagan were chasing a game.
Molina switched to a back three, got Ashique Kuruniyan on and having woke up late, Mohun Bagan, went full pelt in search of a point. Kuruniyan had done well as left-back against NorthEast. On Saturday at Salt Lake stadium, he did one better. Kerala Blasters couldn’t clear his cut-back and Petratos ghosted in but his shot took the slightest of deflections from Cummings. A draw was not what Mohun Bagan wanted. They never gave up, said Molina. Rodriguez’s cannonball took a deflection off Drincic and ensured full points. With Mohun Bagan, it isn’t over till it is over.
