On matchday four of the 2024-25 ISL season, Mohun Bagan faced Mohammedan SC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in what was the first Kolkata Derby of the season. Mohun Bagan was coming into this game after suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Bengaluru FC, while Mohammedan SC had registered their first win of the season at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as they had beaten Chennaiyain FC 1-0.
However, Mohun Bagan’s poor showing against Bengaluru and Mohammedan SC’s good showing against Chennaiyain did not mean much, as the game between the two Kolkata teams was completely dominated by The Mariners. In the first 45 minutes of the game, Mohun Bagan was seen kicking the ball from left to right in their iconic green and maroon kit, while Mohammedan SC sported their white kit and kicked the ball from right to left.
From the very beginning of the game, Mohun Bagan seemed to control the proceedings, and they also showed intent as they won a lost ball back in the opening minutes of the game. However, the first real chance of the match came in the eighth minute when former Mumbai City FC player Greg Stewart whipped in a dangerous cross from the right flank, which was met with a defensive header, eventually earning Mohun Bagan a corner.
While Mohammedan SC would have been happy to concede a corner instead of a goal, the corner kick in the eighth minute is what proved costly for the newly promoted club. Goan forward Liston Colaco, who has been with Mohun Bagan since 2021, whipped in a cross that was initially met with a header from Greg Stewart but was eventually headed into the net by The Mariners’ new signing, Jamie MacLaren, who was playing his first Kolkata Derby.
This goal by the Aussie forward more or less set the tempo for Mohun Bagan. In the following minutes of the game, MBSG was able to keep more of the ball and create some amazing chances, which failed to find the net. Mohammedan SC, on the other hand, struggled to win the ball, let alone launch an attack. In the 31st minute of the game, the Black and White Brigade suffered another setback.
Subhasish Bose, Mohun Bagan’s captain, won the team a foul on the left side of the pitch. The free kick earned through this foul was taken by Greg Stewart, who whipped in a brilliant cross, which was finished by none other than the man who was fouled – Captain Bose. The Indian National scored a decent header, which was initially met by Mohammedan’s Keeper, Padam Chhetri, but the ball somehow found its way into the net, making the score 2-0 to The Mariners.
After the second goal of the game was conceded, it was well established that Mohun Bagan’s movement in the midfield was what was causing Mohammedan SC a lot of trouble. This statement once again turned true when Greg Stewart received a pass, dribbled past a Mohammedan SC defender, and scored from outside the box to increase the lead for The Mariners to 3-0 and to also seal the game. Even after this goal, Mohun Bagan came close to scoring on a few occasions until it was halftime.
Second half of the ISL game between Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan SC saw no goals
After the referee blew the whistle to end the first half, there were two expectations from the ISL match between Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan SC. The expectations were that either there would be a goal fest from The Mariners or The Black and White Brigade would fight hard to make a comeback and at least score a consolation. Unfortunately for both teams and those watching, nothing along these lines took place.
In the last 45 minutes of the game, Mohun Bagan created the most chances and was close to scoring on many occasions. Manvir Singh came close to scoring when he attempted a brilliant shot from outside the box, but Padam Chettri did enough to save it. After this attack, between the 60th and 70th minute, Mohun Bagan came close to scoring their fourth goal on several occasions.
The 63rd minute of the game saw a point-blank shot from Liston Colaco being saved, whereas three minutes later Greg Stewart’s brilliant solo effort did not find the net. In more ways than one, Stewart’s attempt felt like he was trying to recreate the goal he scored earlier. Regardless, Stewart’s miss did not mean Mohun Bagan did not have more opportunities. In the 69th minute, Manvir again attempted to score, but this save was comfortable for Chettri because the angle was tight.
Even towards the end of the game, Mohun Bagan did most of the attacking while Mohun Bagan’s defense tried and did their best to stop them. After the referee blew the whistle to signal the match was over, Mohammedan SC had more of the ball. The Black and White Brigade had 54% possession, while The Mariners had 46% possession. However, when it came to shots on goal, Mohammedan SC managed only one shot on goal, while Mohun Bagan had 12 shots on target.
Overall, it can be said that Mohun Bagan’s midfield and attack in this ISL game proved to be superior for Mohammedan SC’s defense. If one player from The Mariners had to be singled out for a great performance, then it would be Greg Stewart. The Scottish national assisted twice and even scored a goal. However, even apart from his contributions towards scoring, Stewart was instrumental in attack due to his runs, passing, etc.
In their next ISL game on October 19th, Mohun Bagan SC will once again face a rival in East Bengal, who lost 2-0 to Jamshedpur yesterday. It will be interesting to see if The Mariners will be able to continue yesterday’s form against East Bengal. Mohammedan SC, on the other hand, will be facing Kerala Blasters next in a home game on October 20th
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