Mohun Bagan into semi-finals with 2-0 victory

KOLKATA: ATK Mohun Bagan ended Odisha FC’s first-ever play-off run in the Indian Super League with a 2-0 win at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Saturday.

Goals from overseas recruits Hugo Boumous and Dimitri Petratos were enough to secure semi-final qualification for Mohun Bagan, which will face defending champion Hyderabad FC next. In the opening 10 minutes, Odisha dominated possession but was unable to test ATKMB goalkeeper Vishal Kaith.

The host was dealt an early blow when Ashique Kuruniyan had to go off in the 11th minute following a duel with Raynier Fernandes near the halfway line, with Liston Colaco replacing him. Saul Crespo was solid in midfield in the first quarter, but the midfielder brought Colaco down on the left flank in the 15th minute.

From the set piece, Petratos curled a potent ball into the box, which was glanced on by Carl McHugh. The effort was palmed behind for a corner by Amrinder Singh.

After both teams pressed further up the field, the deadlock was broken in the 36th minute. Petratos’s effort from range was palmed over the bar for a corner that was taken quickly by the striker. Manvir Singh arrived at the near post just in time to flick it across an open goal, before Boumous drove it in at the far post.

At the start of the second half, Odisha hovered around the ATKMB box in the opening couple of minutes. Jerry Mawihmingthanga came close to pouncing on Diego Mauricio’s header across the face of goal, but could not test Mohun Bagan. Instead, the Mariners broke on the counter, with Colaco forcing a finger-tip save out of Amrinder.

Approaching the hour-mark, McHugh recovered the ball in midfield and exchanged a pass with Boumous before rolling it through to Petratos near the edge of the box. The striker took his ISL season’s tally to double digits as he slotted his side’s second goal past Amrinder.

A little later, there was a collision between Kaith and Mauricio, which eventually led to the former being unable to continue. Seeing a new keeper in the ATKMB goal, Arsh Shaikh, Pedro Martin was brought in to increase his side’s potency. However, it was the host which spent most of the time in the opposition half, not allowing the visitor to launch any promising attacks until the full-time whistle.

RESULT: ATK Mohun Bagan 2 (H Boumous 36, D Petratos 58) bt Odisha FC 0