Mohun Bagan on Sunday crossed a hurdle on their way to regain the title as they beat Mohammedan Sporting by a solitary first-half goal in an absorbing 15th round match of ONGC I League soccer championship at Salt Lake stadium. The goal was smartly netted by skillful Bagan medio James Singh in the early first half.
The goal was smartly netted by skillful Bagan medio James Singh in the early first half. With this victory Bagan maintained the top position in the league table with 33 points, two points ahead of their nearest rival Sporting Clube de Goa.
The green and maroon also set a new record of winning ten matches on the trot.
Mohammedan Sporting remained at the last but one position with 13 points.
The match between any two of the three Kolkata giants is always a very keen affair irrespective of their position in the league table. Tonight's tie also proved so as both the teams forced a number of raids on the rival forts alternately.
The Bagan defenders, specially Dipak Mondal and their medio Rakesh Mashi played well to foil quite a few Mohammedan moves while their medio Ishfaq Ahmed fed their strikers duo Baichung and Barreto with fine passes.
Though Bagan maintained an edge, Mohammedan defenders marked both the strikers well and stopped them from doing further damage.
Mohammedan forwards Mike Okoro and Eugene Grey also had their chances but they failed to convert them into goals.
Bagan forged ahead in the 14th minute.
Barreto, following a combined move, took a shot at the Mohammedan goal which rebounded hitting a rival defender.
Alert Bagan midfielder James Singh seized the opportunity and shot a timely left footer grounder which gave Mohammedan goal keeper Nasim Akhtar no chance at all (1-0).
Stung by the reverse Mohammedan went all out and came near scoring in the 44th minute but a smart header by their medio Gautam Thakur off striker Eugene Grey went over narrowly.
The second half saw Bagan going a little defensive to keep their fort intact during which Mohammedan made some moves without any result.
Mohammedan had another chance to restore parity but in the 71st minute, Jyothi Kumar shot over from top of the box off a pass from Okoro.