Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s narrow 1-0 victory over Odisha FC at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday night perfectly encapsulates why football can be so enthralling. Over the course of ninety-plus minutes, spectators witnessed near misses, defensive masterclasses, and a red card that threatened to upend everything, only for the script to deliver an exhilarating finale. By the time the final whistle blew, the Mariners had clinched their second successive Indian Super League (ISL) League Shield, courtesy of a stoppage-time goal from Dimitri Petratos that will be remembered by the 60,000-plus fans packed into the legendary Kolkata arena.
In the build-up to the match, the stakes could hardly have been higher for Mohun Bagan. Having finished at the summit last season, they were determined to repeat the feat and secure the title of league-phase champions once again. As soon as the match began under the floodlights, it was evident that neither side was willing to concede control of the contest without a fight.
The opening moments saw Mohun Bagan spring forward with an electric pace. Manvir Singh darted down the right flank while Liston Colaco probed from the left, testing the Odisha backline for any defensive frailties. Early corners came Mohun Bagan’s way, and Jason Cummings forced the Odisha defense into hurried clearances.
Odisha, on the other hand, attempted to stay compact in midfield. Yet, as the half developed, it became clear that the visitors were content to absorb pressure and rely on the creative spark of Boumous or the quick transitions provided by Rahul KP and Isak Ralte. That approach might have undone less resilient sides, but Mohun Bagan’s defenders—led by Tom Aldred—were quick to neutralize any counters, ensuring that Vishal Kaith rarely had a reason to panic in the first half-hour.
While chances fell on both ends, it was Mohun Bagan who manufactured the more significant threats. Manvir, combining effectively with Greg Stewart, continuously hounded the left side of Odisha’s defense. On several occasions, the Mariners’ forwards went down in the box after slightly clumsy challenges from Fall and Delgado, appealing for a penalty, but the referee waved play on.
The biggest moment of the first half came just before the halftime whistle when Greg Stewart unleashed a stinging shot from the edge of the box. Odisha goalkeeper Amrinder Singh parried that effort, then quickly recovered to deny McLaren’s follow-up. These two saves left the crowd in disbelief and maintained the deadlock at 0-0 heading into the break.
After the interval, the tension only rose. Mohun Bagan looked determined to break the stalemate. Manvir missed a golden chance around the hour mark—one of the best openings of the game—when Greg Stewart, slaloming past two defenders, laid the ball off for the forward.
Manvir twisted away from his marker with a neat first touch, only to skew his shot inches wide. Moments later, Hugo Boumous responded with a powerful run and shot for Odisha, but Vishal Kaith’s impressive dive prevented the visitors from snatching the lead. The cat-and-mouse nature of the contest made for riveting viewing, with each near miss amplifying the tension within the stadium.
In the 77th minute, Juan Ferrando made a decisive substitution for Mohun Bagan, bringing on Dimitri Petratos in search of a creative spark and fresh legs. Petratos had been carrying a minor knock in recent weeks, so there was no guarantee he could sway the match in the limited time available. Yet, his presence clearly lifted the home side.
Odisha, sensing danger, switched to a more defensive mindset. Their hopes of sealing a gritty draw took a massive blow in the 85th minute, when Mourtada Fall, in a desperate attempt to stop McLaren from racing clear on goal, brought the striker down right on the edge of the box. The referee deemed it an illegal denial of a goalscoring opportunity and showed Fall a straight red card, reducing Odisha to ten men at the most critical juncture.
Sergio Lobera reacted by introducing more defensive reinforcements, hoping to salvage a point and prevent Mohun Bagan from lifting the Shield. That meant that almost every Odisha player dropped deep in the final minutes. On the other side, the Mariners smelled blood and bombarded the visitors’ penalty area with crosses, shots, and intricate combinations. As the clock struck ninety, the fourth official signaled nine additional minutes, enough time for Mohun Bagan to continue their high-pressure assault.
Then, in the 93rd minute, the decisive moment arrived. Petratos collected the ball in a pocket of space on the edge of the box. Shifting onto his left foot, he curled a magnificent shot that arced beyond Amrinder Singh’s outstretched arm. The roar inside Salt Lake Stadium was deafening as tens of thousands of Mariners supporters erupted in elation. The league’s cult hero had returned, cementing his status among Mohun Bagan faithful as a match-winner in the club’s biggest moments.
Odisha, down to ten men and running on fumes, could offer no real threat in the dying minutes. The referee’s final whistle confirmed the 1-0 result, triggering euphoric celebrations both in the stands and on the pitch. By retaining the League Shield, Mohun Bagan not only solidified its place atop the standings but also reinforced its reputation for late-game heroics and unbreakable spirit. In a match that hinged on fine margins, Petratos’s magical strike sealed the triumph, ensuring the Mariners would once again be crowned the best side of the league phase.
Mohun Bagan will approach the playoffs with renewed confidence, buoyed by the knowledge that they can deliver under pressure and overcome stubborn defenses in crunch situations. Retaining the Shield also grants them the psychological edge of being the top-placed team, a factor that should serve them well in the intense knockout stages.
Odisha, meanwhile, will need to regroup and reassess its strategy following this heartbreaking defeat. Lobera’s men cannot afford to dwell on the result for too long with the playoffs still within reach. Instead, they must harness the positives—such as Amrinder Singh’s shot-stopping heroics and Hugo Boumous’ driving runs—and tighten their defensive discipline. If they can recover from this setback and rediscover their early-season form, Odisha still has every chance of mounting a serious challenge in the postseason.
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