Mohun Bagan pip Mumbai City to win maiden ISL League Shield

KOLKATA:  A dominant Mohun Bagan defeated Mumbai City FC 2-1 to win their maiden ISL League Shield here on Monday.

Liston Colaco (28th), Jason Cummings (80th) struck for Mohun Bagan, while Lallianzuala Chhangte struck for Mumbai City FC against the run of play in the 89th minute when he converted a freekick from Yoell Van Nieff.

This was Mohun Bagan’s first victory over the two-time Shield Winners across four seasons as the Mumbai heavyweights were also unbeaten over them in previous eight matches, winning six of them.

The win also sealed their berth in the AFC Champions League 2 for the first time as 60,000 chanted ‘Mohun Bagan, Mohun Bagan’ reverberated across the Salt Lake Stadium stands.

This marked the conclusion of the League stage as the competition now moves to playoffs of six teams that begin from April 19.

The top-two teams, Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City, will directly play the semi-finals, while the sides from third to sixth — Goa, Odisha, Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin — will play single leg playoff in a knockout format to determine the other two semifinalists.

The ISL summit clash will be on May 4.

Mohun Bagan also had a special guest in KL Rahul, skipper of their sister IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants, to cheer for them.

There was more drama in store as Mohun Bagan were reduced to 10 players soon after when Brendan Hamill was sent off following his second yellow after a goalmouth melee.

Referee signalled 10 minutes of stoppage time as the Antonio Lopez-coached side put up a brave front to see through it to seal the deal.

The Subhasish Bose-manned defence also stood tall throughout the match as they played in unison thwarting every attack by the Mumbai men.

Awesome foursome for Big Three ======================= The win also capped a double delight for Mohun Bagan who began the season winning the Durand Cup.

It followed by arch-rivals East Bengal’s Super Cup win, while the other of the Big Three Mohammedan Sporting made it a triple treat for the Maidan winning the I-League thus earning a berth for the ISL next season.

The icing on the cake came at the Salt Lake Stadium when Mohun Bagan were crowned the Shield winners, making it four titles by the Kolkata Maidan this season.

Less than a year after he scored in Central Coast Mariners A-League win, the Australian forward struck again for the Kolkata Mariners that almost sealed the deal giving them 2-0 lead with 10 minutes left on the clock.

Like he had set up Colaco’s opening goal with an assist, Dimitri Petratos was again in the thick of things as he delivered an accurate pass for Cummings inside the box to hit into the bottom corner.

Earier, it was the India centre-forward Colaco’s brilliant strike that had given the Mariners lead in front of a sellout crowd.

Abhishek Suryawanshi passed it on to Petratos who dribbled in the midfield to set it up Colaco on the edge of the box in the left flank.