ISL: Sahal scores as Mohun Bagan Super Giant crush NorthEast

Four different scorers rose to the occasion as Mohun Bagan Super Giant continued their winning momentum in the Indian Super League (ISL) with a 4-0 victory over NorthEast United FC at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.

The Highlanders had their new striker Tomi Juric score a brace, but an arguably unorganised defence led to the Mariners finding frequent breakthroughs past the Juan Pedro Benali-coached side.

Juric got past Vishal Kaith twice, once in either halves. His sharpshooting abilities were evident with the comfort with which he converted a spot-kick in the sixth minute to get his team a rather unexpected lead. In the 50th minute, the forward connected with Nestor Albiach inside the box, with the Spaniard working his way out of a close space to lay out a pass for Juric that the latter deposited into the back of the net. The duo had operated with similar ease in their 3-2 win over East Bengal FC, and that partnership shone through in this crucial away fixture too.

However, the undoubted attacking wealth of the home side overpowered the dynamism with which the Highlanders functioned with in phases. Benali had admitted before the game that his players needed to operate smartly and not get too ahead of the proceedings, exercising caution in important junctures. Unfortunately, that went for a toss many a time, starting with Joni Kauko putting a delivery past the open spaces in the opposition’s backline for Liston Colaco to shoot home at from outside of the box for the equaliser in the 45th minute.

Merely four minutes later, in the added time of the first half, a set piece taken by Dimitrios Petratos was followed with the Mariners outnumbering the Highlanders inside the box. Kauko was in the right place at the right time again, heading a pass in the path of Jason Cummings, which the Australian converted without breaking a sweat.

The second half saw the best of Mohun Bagan Super Giant coming to the fore, with Petratos turning from a creator to a scorer for the third goal soon after Juric’s equaliser. Cummings was at the centre of it all, displaying brilliant link up with his striking counterpart in the NorthEast United FC defensive territory. Petratos wasn’t going to miss a chance as easy as that, getting the third goal of his team in the 53rd minute.

Sahal Abdul Samad capped off the proceedings in the 57th minute, getting to the end of a through ball by Kauko and hitting it past Mirshad Michu. Kauko made hay against a haphazard NorthEast United FC backline and the home side’s forwards were just too good to miss out on those opportunities.

East Bengal edge Hyderabad
East Bengal FC sneaked past Hyderabad FC 1-0 at the Gachibowli Stadium to round off a captivating Saturday double header. A headed goal in the 11th minute from Brazilian striker Cleiton Silva ensured that the visitors got the three points and elevated to the eighth spot in the standings.

The Red & Gold Brigade came into this match seeking their first win in six games, especially after succumbing to consecutive losses to NorthEast United FC and Mumbai City FC in the run up to tonight’s game.

Head coach Carles Cuadrat was desperate to find solutions to the varied problems troubling them since the victory in the final of the Kalinga Super Cup in Bhubaneswar last month. On that front, he will be pleased with the efforts of his players in tonight’s game, with the offensive game plan primarily concerned around attacking the inexperienced Hyderabad FC defence through crosses from both ends of the field.

To their credit, the players were up for the task right from the offset, with Nishu Kumar playing a vital role for the same on the left hand side of the field. Sprinting ahead with purpose, the former Kerala Blasters FC star swung in a peach of a cross by beating his marker for Silva, who was positioned merely yards away from the Hyderabad FC goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh. Silva made the right jump, meeting the ball perfectly and nodding it home to get the coveted lead.

Even post the break, Cuadrat didn’t relent from the strategy despite the early lead. Victor Vazquez spotted reasonable open space on the right flank and he curled in a lateral delivery for the onrushing East Bengal FC defender Hijazi Maher inside the box. Maher got at the end of the cross but couldn’t keep control over his headed effort, but it also arguably showed a certain lack of promptness from the Hyderabad FC ranks to overcome the challenges thrown to them by the Kolkata-based club.

Hyderabad FC had more troubles coming their way as both Alex Saji and Joao Victor picked their second yellow cards and were sent off in the added time of the second half. This will lead to them missing the coming game, adding further woes to Hyderabad’s depleted squad and winless run in the current season.

East Bengal FC have overtaken Chennaiyin FC and Bengaluru FC with this win, and will hope that the victory gives a good boost to their qualification prospects for the playoffs.