Just when the dream of lifting the title was beginning to shine brighter under the green-maroon tent, Mohun Bagan suffered a major setback on home soil. This time the challenge came not from Goa, but from Inter Kashi in Kolkata itself. Yet the outcome remained equally frustrating for the Mariners. A goalless draw not only denied them three crucial points but also cost them the chance to climb to the top of the league table. Abhijit Mandal’s Inter Kashi fought with discipline from the very first whistle, while Mohun Bagan failed to find their usual attacking fluency throughout the contest.
Mohun Bagan fail to find attacking rhythm
From the opening minutes, Mohun Bagan looked unusually slow and disconnected in the attacking third. Sahal Abdul Samad created one promising moment with a shot early in the game, but that remained the only significant attacking spark in the first half. Dimitri Petratos, Jason Cummings, and Robson struggled to break through the compact Inter Kashi defense. Crosses, corners, and set pieces also failed to trouble the visitors as misplaced passes and poor coordination repeatedly disrupted Bagan’s momentum.
Also Read | This day, that year: When Virat Kohli walked away from Test cricket
Inter Kashi, meanwhile, looked dangerous whenever they countered. They nearly stunned the home crowd in the 10th minute when Mohammad Asif missed a golden chance in front of an open goal. Had he converted, Mohun Bagan would have fallen behind very early in the match. Instead of controlling the game, the Mariners spent large periods of the first half focused on defensive recovery.
Substitutions fail to rescue the Mariners
At the start of the second half, Sergio Lobera attempted to change the flow of the game by introducing Liston Colaco and Jamie Maclaren in place of Robson and Cummings. The substitutions added more pace and urgency to the attack, but the breakthrough still refused to come. Subhashis replaced Ranawade in the 57th minute, though even that adjustment failed to shift momentum.
Also Read | Punjab Kings suffer fourth straight defeat, Delhi Capitals return to winning ways
Mohun Bagan came closest late in the game. Petratos fired wide in the 64th minute, while Jamie Maclaren missed a huge opportunity in the 85th minute after receiving a perfect pass from Dimitri. With only the goalkeeper left to beat, the Australian forward could not finish, summing up Bagan’s frustrating evening.
The draw has now intensified the title race pressure. Despite East Bengal helping them earlier by holding Punjab FC to a draw, Mohun Bagan failed to capitalize. Both Kolkata giants are now level on 22 points after 11 matches, but East Bengal sit on top due to a superior goal difference. With the derby approaching, Lobera’s men can no longer afford slip-ups if they want to keep their championship dream alive.
