The Hindu : Sport / Football : Mumbai FC shocks Mohun Bagan

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Mumbai FC shocks Mohun Bagan

Principal Correspondent

BARASAT: Debutant Mumbai FC made a bright start, jolting former champion Mohun Bagan 2-1 in an I-League encounter here on Saturday.

Abel Hammond and Kalia Kulothungan were on target to give Mumbai FC a 2-0 lead in the first session. Mohun Bagan, despite dominating the second half, could manage only one through substitute Panchau Lalawmpuia in the 76th minute.

It was all about speed and accuracy that determined the scoreline in the first session. Evidently cautious of playing away and against a traditionally strong opponent, Mumbai FC made sure that it operated on counter-attacks.

Brilliant save

The visitor could have moved one up in the fourth minute, but for a brilliant save by Bagan custodian Shilton Paul.

Bagan failed to read the early signs and bided its time playing square passes in the midfield. The dalliance proved costly for the home side as Mumbai FC made no mistake with its second opportunity, which came in the ninth minute. Apparently rattled by the thrust of opposition’s repeated onslaughts, Mohun Bagan central defender Peter Odafe made a miss-pass leaving Mumbai FC’s Ghanian striker Abel Hammond free with the chance. The latter accepted the offer and slotted the ball home past the hapless Paul in the Bagan goal.

Never satisfied with the lead, the visitor sustained the tempo and doubled the lead before the host could regroup. Kalia Kulothungan, making a move to Mumbai after four unsuccessful seasons with Kolkata clubs, celebrated the break nodding home the second goal in the 23rd minute. The midfielder timing his run well to reach a sharp cross from Hammond, and finished with a diving header (2-0).

Mohun Bagan’s Morocan coach Kerim Bencherifa exhausted the quota of substitutions in making three changes in the second session. The home side went for a three-man attack bringing in Lalwampuia to join Brazilian Jose Barreto and Baichung Bhutia.

Lalawmpuia did his job fetching the reducer but his famed colleagues in the attack messed up chances.

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