The encounter between Mohun Bagan & Bengaluru FC in Durand Cup semifinals was really a visualization of competitive edge along with talent in India. Played at the epoch-making Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, the match was attended by thousands of football enthusiasts, which was a right testament to the importance of this oldest Asian football championship. As it was seen, teams of both sides have high potential, which has been demonstrated during the group stage of the championships.
Pre-Match Analysis
Mohun Bagan started with their probable best starting XI which includes Dimitri Petratos and Liston Colaco that have been very influential in their attacking plan in this tournament. The defensive line up of the team through Anwar Ali and Pritam Kotal was hoped to marshal the Bengaluru FC’s forwards in a good manner. The American coach Juan Ferrando had a very clear conception of the match: scanning to possess the ball and must use the counter-attacks to succeed.
The Bengaluru FC team was ready to face Mohun Bagan in this match which has tactical discipline and mix of youth and experienced players who include Sunil Chhetri, Sivasakthi Narayanan and Javier Fernández Hernández. This match, Coach Simon Grayson was most eager to play a high press to put pressure on Bagan and denied them space to build from the back and had to turn to fast transitions. In this match, the team defense spear headed by Sandesh Jhingan was equally charged with the responsibility of restraining Bagan’s volatile attackers.
First Half: A Tense Battle
The match began with the setting of the impression by both the teams who wanted to emerge as the winner of the match. Mohun Bagan did not take time to settle down and they were dominating the early phase of the game with attacks against Bengaluru’s defenders. Dimitri Petratos was especially lively, entering the dangerous area and attempting a couple of tries with a shot from outside the penalty area on the Bengaluru goalie. But, as expected from Bengaluru FC who are known for their fighting spirits, they adjusted quickly on the new formation. The most prominent player of the Indian team, Sunil Chhetri, was a marvel to watch; he dropped deep into midfield most of the time to ensure his team had some stability in the center of the park.
At the 20th mark Mohun Bagan had the first bright chance of the match when a cross from Liston Colaco was met by a header from Hugo Boumous, this was however superbly saved by Bengaluru’s number one goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The save put the wind back in the sails of Bengaluru FC and they seized the match control, making forays into the ATK half and making good use of Javi Hernández. Their first significant opportunity came after a lightning counter-attack by the Terengganu side saw Sivasakthi Narayanan sneak past Bagan defense only to be thwarted from goal by the team’s alert defense line.
Second Half: Goals and Drama
The second half came out as a battle of adrenaline rush from both teams. Then Mohun Bagan’s coach Ferrando introduced a substitution where he brought in Manvir Singh in order to increase the team’s pace on the flanks. This paid in the 60th minute when a quick break saw Manvir put the ball in the middle for Dimitri Petratos to seal the ball in the back of the net beating Gurpreet making it 1-0 Mohun Bagan. The stadium rose to the occasion, and fans of Mohun Bagan were seen shouting on the top of their voices.
Bengaluru FC answered almost straightaway. Only five minutes later, a corner kick by Javi Hernández saw chhetri head the ball to Sivasakthi Narayanan and he volley the ball into the net thus making the total score 1-1. The goal changed the tide in favour of Bengaluru as they increased the pressure on high and did not allow the Bagan defense to relax.
In the 75th minute, Bengaluru FC got a comfortable lead when Chhetri headed the ball into the net but the refree disallowed the goal for offside much to the surprise of Bengaluru football club players and the fans. This decision increased rivalry in the game given that it was crafted by the government to be that way.
Extra Time and Penalties
This being so, as the match ended with an equal score of 1-1 at full time, the game headed to the extra time. Both teams appeared to be very tired but released their last energy searching for a victorious goal. The home side had an opportunity to put the game to bed in the 110th minute when a shot by Bagan, from a distance, struck the post, from which the ball rebounded to only as far as the top of the box where another shot by Hugo Boumous struck the post as well. Bengaluru, too, got the chance to buy the match in the dying moments but Chhetri’s effort was beautifully stopped by Vishal Kaith.
It finally went to penalties, where Mohun Bagan being more composed emerged the winners. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu performed well in the match and saved one penalty shoot out while Bagan’s Vishal Kaith saved two penalty shoot out giving Mohun Bagan 4-2 victory overall.
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