Mohun Bagan beat Chennai City FC 2-1 in a I-League match at the Nehru Stadium on Saturday to go to the top of the table with 12 points.
For Bagan, injured centre-back Anas Edathodika didn’t play, while goalkeeper Karanjit Singh and midfielder Haroon Amiri returned for Chennai after missing the last match against DSK Shivajians.
Bagan had better possession in the first half and went more on the offensive. Chennai, resisting for most part, created two close chances.
Marcos Tank, and later Charles, surged into the box but neither could get the ball past the goalkeeper.
Bagan was awarded a penalty in the 33rd minute when Sony Norde was brought down by Joseph Clemente but Norde’s effort was saved by Karanjit.
The teams went into the break 0-0.
The first in the series of key events of the second half was a Chennai corner kick but Yumnam Raju’s ball into the box was an easy take for Bagan goalkeeper Debjit Majumder.
Marcos struck in the 52nd minute to help the host go one up. Eduardo Ferreira took a free kick on the right for Bagan but his ball to Darryl Duffy couldn’t be taken forward. Jeje Lalpekhlua then scored to help Bagan draw level.
Norde took a freekick, close to the box on the left, but it was to no effect and soon Duffy was replaced by Balwant Singh.
Balwant, who created but couldn’t convert a close chance, assisted Norde’s match-winner 13 minutes from time.
The results:
At Chennai: Mohun Bagan 2 (Jeje Lalpekhlua 57, Sony Norde 77) bt Chennai City FC 1 (Marcos Tank 52).
At Pune: DSK Shivajians 1 (Kim Song-yong 21) drew with Churchill Brothers 1 (Adil Ahmed Khan 86).
At Shillong: Shillong Lajong FC 2 (Rupert Nongrum 17, Aser Dipanda Dicka 42) bt Minerva Punjab FC 1 (Loveday Okechukwu 90+2) .
