Mohun Bagan Super Giant narrowly defeated Kerala Blasters 3-2, securing a crucial two-point lead in the ISL title race despite a below-par performance. The win over Kerala Blasters widened the gap with Bengaluru FC, making it challenging for them to catch up. Mohun Bagan now leads with 26 points compared to Bengaluru’s 24, with an extra match to play. A victory against FC Goa on December 20 could significantly simplify the Indian Super League (ISL) title race.
Coach Jose Molina expressed that this was the worst performance by Mohun Bagan this season. Vishal Kaith marred an otherwise good night with errors that allowed Kerala Blasters to equalize at 1-1 and then take the lead at 2-1. Despite starting poorly and being second-best for most of the second half, Mohun Bagan emerged victorious with a 3-2 scoreline. Kerala Blasters coach Mikael Stahre remarked on the difficulty of leaving with no points.
Jamie Maclaren opened the scoring for the home team in the 33rd minute, but Jesus Jimenez equalized in the 51st minute with his ninth goal of the season. Milos Drinic put Kerala Blasters ahead in the 77th minute. However, Mohun Bagan showcased their squad depth with goals from Jason Cummings in the 86th minute and Alberto Rodriguez in the 95th minute, marking their seventh win in the last eight games.
After Manvir Singh and Liston Colaco’s performance against NorthEast United, Kerala Blasters aimed to neutralize Mohun Bagan’s wide players through man-marking by Muhammed Saheef and Sandeep Singh. This forced Mohun Bagan to play through the middle, with Vishal Kaith being tested early on.
In the second minute, Lalengmawia Ralte lost possession, leading to Noah Sadoui’s deflected shot, which Kaith saved. Shortly after, Kaith collected a back-heel attempt from Jimenez. Despite having five defenders and additional protection from Freddy Lallawmawma and Danish Farooq, Mohun Bagan struggled to open up the game as they desired. Referee Venkatesh R’s decision not to penalize Tom Aldred for handball was fortunate for Mohun Bagan.
Kerala Blasters controlled the first half hour, but a mistake led to Mohun Bagan’s opening goal. Young goalkeeper Sachin Suresh failed to hold onto Ashish Rai’s long-range shot, allowing Maclaren to score. Pritam Kotal, a former Mohun Bagan defender, was also at fault for not reacting quickly enough.
Despite a lackluster first half, Mohun Bagan led at the break. Kerala Blasters pressed in the second half, equalizing after Kaith’s questionable decision to play out from the back. Jimenez capitalized on the mistake, scoring the equalizer. Sadoui tested Mohun Bagan twice more, and Drinic capitalized on Kaith’s error from a free-kick to put Kerala Blasters ahead.
Molina switched to a back three, bringing on Ashique Kuruniyan. Mohun Bagan then pushed for a point, with Kuruniyan playing a key role. His cut-back was not cleared by Kerala Blasters, allowing Petratos to shoot, with Cummings slightly deflecting it into the net. Determined not to settle for a draw, Mohun Bagan kept pressing, and Rodriguez’s deflected shot secured the win. Molina emphasized that with Mohun Bagan, the game isn’t over until it’s truly over.
