Air India hold Mohun Bagan at their home match at Kolhapur today. The home team took the lead earlier in the 44th minute while the visitors scored through their talismanic striker Jose Barreto in the 60th minute of the match. Jayanta Sen was awarded Man of the Match trophy for his excellence in the game. It was no Diamonstar in the defence and Chidi, Muritala were also not in the first eleven. Sagram Mandi got chance in the first eleven after his long suffered injury. Ishfaq was also in reserve bench while Snehasis got the chance. T.D. Subhas Bhowmick tried to look for his team’s reserve bench condition as well. Chidi and Muritala both were booked in the earlier matches so they were taken out from the first eleven because the next match is against Kingfisher East Bengal.

Air India stared the match with attacking mode while Bagan defence was so busy at this time. Bagan got the first corner in the 16th minute. But no damage has been done by this set-piece. In the 26th minute of the match Snehasis was shown yellow card due to foul on opponent player just outside of the penalty box. In the 27th minute Eric of Air India missed the chance narrowly. His header just missed the target. Few minutes later Snehasis ran through the left flank and passed the ball Jayanta but the shot of Jayanta was well saved by Air India goalkeeper. After that attack of Air India became increased and as a result of that Air India got the chance to score a goal and they did it. In the 43rd minute of the match a long throw from Dhanachanda went to Manjit and Manjit made no mistake to score the goal for his team (0-1). That is the most valuable goal so far for the team like Air India, who are now on the second last spot of the league table. In the first half Air India was the better side between the two sides.

In the second half Ashim and Barreto both tried hard but couldn’t find the goal. In the 53rd minute Chidi came in the place of Gouranga Dutta. In the 57th minute Dhanrajan’s cross from the right found the head of Chidi, but Chidi’s header went out narrowly after beating goalkeeper as well. After couple of minutes again Dhanrajan ran down the right flank and crossed the ball for Barreto and Barreto this time scored a brilliant goal (1-1) for the Mariners.

After that both side started to attack but Bagan had to be cautious because they are playing the away match and one point also not bad for them. In the 80th minute Snehasis was replaced by in form Ishfaq Ahmed. In the last minute Air India goalkeeper saved a shot from Chidi, which could have been the decider but the score line remain same till the last minute.

Mohun Bagan Technical Director Subhas Bhowmick told to the press that few decisions of referee from Kerala had gone against them, which had become very costly for Mohun Bagan.

Mohun Bagan now got 18 points from 12 matches, while Air India got 9 points from the same number of matches. Mohun Bagan will play the next match against Kingfisher East Bengal on next Sunday, 6th February, 2011.

 

Mohun Bagan : Shilton, Dhanarajan, Kingshuk, Sagram, Mohonraj, Gouranga(Chidi), Jayanta, Manish, Snehasish (Isfaq), Barreto, Ashim.

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