Mohun Bagan got their all importan 3 points at JLN Stadium, Delhi against Punjab FC. The match was held closed door and no spectator allowed inside the stadium. Although few Mariners were present ouside stadium including our very own Bapi Majhi da for cheering the team from outside the ground. The match was started with very slow pace with Mohun Bagan dominating the ball position. Punjab looked very average as their star player Madih Talal not seemed in his best of form in the middield. Mohun Bagan started with 4-4-2 formation and include Ashish Rai in place of Liston to compact their defense line. Most of the attack generated from the left hand side in the first half as Manvir looked very threatning on that side. Mohun Bagan looked to dominate the middield with high percentage of ball recovery on the middle of the park. Mohun Bagan currently having the average of over 50 ball recoveries per game which is 2nd best in this ISL just behind FC Goa. This is their main essential part behind the change of fortune under Habas. Mohun Bagan took their first shot on 7th minute of the game when Petratos’s low grounder went wide of the post. Jason Cummings was heavily marked in the upfront and did not have much to do in the upfront. Cummings went wide and tried to came inside and took a shot from outside the box but it went aggonisingly over the goal post. Before that Petratos and Subhasish took their shots on target but Punjab Goalkeeper were equal to it. Mohun Bagan finally broke the deadlock on 42nd minute when Subhasish took a good low ball for Cummings who left it for Petratos who took a brilliant first time shot from outstep of his foot and it eneded up back in the net.
Punjab also had a dissallowed goal in the added time of first half when Luka Majcen header went on to goal from a Talal freekick but it was judged offside.In the second half Punjab tried their best but failed to equalized. On 59th minute Wilmer Jordan Gill executed a brilliant move with Luka Majcen but his poor effort within the box was went miles away from the post. On another occassion Punjab defender Chatziisaias took a header infront of Kaith but Yuste made a brilliant goal line save. Manvir also tried to break the left hand side and almost succeded but Cummings effort was brilliantly saved from the goal line by Punjab defender Melroy. Mohun Bagan made two changes after that as they brought Liston inplace of Cummings and Hamill in place of Ashish Rai. This move was certainly gave the stability to Mohun Bagan defense. On the other hand Liston did create a chance when he cut back from the right but his shot was brilliantly saved by Punjab keeper Ravi. Punjab were never looked to dominate the game rather staying at the back. The star middielder Talal spend most of his time in his own half even their attacker Majcen and Jordan were went back to their own half to support their midfield. They were happy to sit back and defend and let Mohun Bagan play. But most surprising was their gameplay after they conceded the goal because there was no changes of of the approach and still they were letting Mohun Bagan have lion share of ball position.Deepak Tangri received his ninth yellow card of the season and will miss the all important match against Bengaluru. Mohun Bagan have to win their remaining 2 matches to be the ISL champion and qualify for ACL 2. Their next two match will litterary be the Semi final and final for the Indian Super League season.
