I-League: Bagan lose to Mahindra, finish second

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posted on 15 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan suffered a 2-1 defeat to Mahindra United.

New Delhi: Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan suffered a 2-1 defeat to Mahindra United in their last match of the I-League season on Thursday to finish second in the table for the 2008-2009 campaign.

Mohun Bagan started the match knowing all too well that they had to win against the Mumbai side to maintain any chance of winning the league this season. As for Mahindra, they still fostered some hope for the fourth spot in the I-League.

First Half

It was Karim Bencherifa’s side that started the match on the frontfoot as left-winger Ishfaq Ahmed sent in a lovely cross from the left in the very first minute, but it didn’t have any end product.

But Mahindra were not to be intimidated and replied quite well. Striker Chidi Edeh had Mahindra’s first chance of the match and that came in the 6th minute as he blasted his shot over the Bagan crossbar from the right edge of the Bagan penalty area.

The next decent chance fell to Mohun Bagan as Brazilian striker Jose Baretto gave a well measured cross towards Bhaichung Bhutia only for the Indian international striker to head it just wide off target.

Bagan were then awarded a free-kick in the 20th minute in front of the Churchill penalty area when Bhutia was pulled down. Baretto stepped up to take it and the resulting ball fell to Anandavasan, but his shot was off target.

The match then took on a colourful turn as there was end-to-end action. Bagan’s inability to maintain possession in the midfield saw Mahindra get the ball all too easily and launch attacks of their own. Just before the half-hour mark, Chidi Edeh drilled in a right-footed shot that, fortunately for Mohun Bagan, was hit straight at custodian Sangram Mukherjee.

But the Mumbai side soon found themselves struggling in their own penalty area as a long throw from Peter Odafe threw their defence line into pell-mell, but fortunately for them the Mariners could not take any advantage of the situation.

Mahindra then came close to taking the lead in the 36th minute when Mohammed Rafi received a wonderfully crafted through ball inside the Bagan box but his shot was well saved by Mukherjee. A minute later it was Bagan’s turn to create a chance of their own but Baretto couldn’t head James Singh’s corner towards the target.

Then Mahindra struck in the 42nd minute. An exquisite through ball from Sukhwinder Singh found Chidi Edeh close to the Bagan goal and the latter stroked in the ball past a stretching Sangram Mukherjee to give his side a 1-0 lead at half-time.

Second Half

Mohun Bagan came out in the second half like wounded tigers and exhibited the energy and intensity that was sadly missing in the first 45 minutes.

Half-time substitute Lairam Luaha found himself at the end of a long throw inside the Mahindra penalty area and took a shot only to see the ball sail over the crossbar.

Luaha had another chance just moments later when he took a long shot from outside the Mahindra penalty area but it went over the crossbar.

At the time it was Mohun Bagan who were making all the noise and it was quite against the run of play that Mahindra managed to score. A wonderful move from the Mumbai side saw Chidi Edeh receive the ball on the edge of the penalty area and he drilled in a low drive that went Bagan goalkeeper Mukherjee.

It was Edeh’s 11th goal of the league and one that effectively put flight to all hopes of a Bagan title triumph.

But credit to Mohun Bagan, they didn’t buckle down and came roaring back into the match. They created a number of good chances and played better in the second half. Substitute Cardozo Branco went close in the 81st minute with a header from a Habibur Rehman’s centre.

Bagan did eventually pull one back in the last minute of normal time when Cardozo Branco scored. A lovely cross from the right from Ishfaq Ahmed was headed towards the goal by Jose Baretto but it was saved by Mahindra custodian Subhash Roy Chowdhury. The rebound then fell to Cardozo, who made no mistake in making it 2-1.

But it was too little too late for Mohun Bagan as they lost the match 2-1.

Churchill Brothers’ 6-2 defeat of Mohammedan Sporting implies that they win the I-League. Mohun Bagan end up in second position in the table.