Cool Bagan finish JCT

CALCUTTA, MARCH 4: It turned out to be easier than expected for Mohun Bagan. They crossed their 19th round hurdle of the National Football...

CALCUTTA, MARCH 4: It turned out to be easier than expected for Mohun Bagan. They crossed their 19th round hurdle of the National Football League rather comfortably on a sultry afternoon at the Salt Lake Stadium here in Calcutta. Their opponents, Jagatjit Cotton and Textile Mills of Phagwara, had no excuses today after being beaten 1-3 by the favourites. Adding to the injury was a late Bagan charge which hit the JCT cross-piece.

Bagan now have 41 points and are firmly on the road to their second National League title.

If the Punjab team had a reason to cry foul while going down through a controversial penalty in their previous match against Salgaocar, they could hardly challenge the 18th minute penalty award against them which led to Bagan’s first goal. Stephen Abarowei went after the ball inside the JCT box while defender Ranjit Singh went after the Nigerian. Big Abarowei came down in a heap and the referee pointed towards the dreaded spot. Igor Shkvirin converted calmly for his seventh goal of the National League.

Story continues below this ad

The goal found a furious JCT coach Sukhwinder Singh jumping out of his seat. He screamed instructions, virtually leading the attacks from the side-line. This might have had a negative effect on the JCT players’ nerves as they became shaky once they reached the Bagan box.

Before the spot-kick, JCT had a few telling attacks to show, including a Hardip Saini punch in the seventh minute which hit the Bagan framework.

However, the spot-kick changed it all and Bagan gradually took the match in their grasp. A second Bagan strike in the 35th minute forced Sukhwinder to go back to his seat, perhaps with a sinking feeling that the match was as good as lost.

Amitava Chanda lofted the ball into the JCT box and as Abarowei rose, so did his marker Ranjit Singh. Eventually, the ball kissed Ranjit’s forehead before falling just outside the JCT six-yard box. RP Singh, the agile Bagan medio, sneaked in unnoticed to grab the ball. He beat Sukhdev Singh hands down before sending it diagonally into the net. It was a beautiful goal and RP Singh knew it. He consciously walked towards the flagpost, allowing his colleagues to jump on him.

Story continues below this ad

Sukhwinder, his energy drained, watched the rest of the first half in a dejected mood and reserved the rest of his instructions for the half-time sermon.

Apparently, the sermon was not enough as goalkeeper Baljit Singh blundered in the 59th minute to concede the third goal to Bagan. Receiving a pass from Shkvirin, Basudev Mondal let go a mighty punch from 30 yards outside the JCT goal. Baljit was in position as the ball landed straight in his arms. Surprisingly and before Baljit could even move, the ball popped out of his hands and leaped inside the goal. As the goalkeeper held his head in dismay, Mondal sported an amused grin.

JCT got one back in the 85th minute after Jaswant Singh ran away to the left and centred for Hardip Gill, who put the ball into the Bagan net. The scorers did not have much energy left to celebrate.

Finding JCT increase men in attack, Bagan coach Subroto Bhattacharya introduced two speedy pairs of fresh feet. Abdul Khaleq and Dipendu Biswas ensured that the JCT defenders stayed back. As if to test the defence, a Dipendu snapshot in the 90th minute crashed against the cross-piece, but could not add to the scoreline.