The group C 114th IFA Shield match between Mohun Bagan and Mahindra United ends in a draw. Both the teams have earned a point each and finished with 4 points. But Bagan has the goal advantage (+2) and hence moves into the semifinal. They will meet Chirag on 9th September.
Snehasish scored for Bagan in the first half. That was gem of a goal. Marcos gave a pass to James in the right flank – James was near the corner flag. He got hold of the ball, and then a brilliant left footer found Snehasish near the far post. His header was too strong for Subhasish Roy Choudhury who tried to fist the ball out. But the ball was found kissing the net from inside. Required to win the match by at least a three-goal margin for their progress into the semis, Mahindra United was forced onto the backfoot in the face of a concerted Mohun Bagan attack.Subhasish raised up for quite a number of times and stopped Bagan from scoring another goal.
If Subhasish was the saviour for Mahindra, Shilton was there for Bagan. In number of occasions he showed his abilities and foiled Mahindra attacks, except for once. At the beginning of the second half Mahindra scored when Mijin got hold of the ball and made no mistake. The ball went past Deepak in the 2nd post.
Both the teams tested the defense of the opponents. But in the second half Chiddi was the lone Bagan player in the attacking third. Hence Mahindra defense had no problems in covering him. However, referring was not up to the mark at all.
Bagan will now meet Chirag United on 9th September in the 2nd semi finals at Yuva Bharati Krirangan, on 8th I-League Champion Churchill Brothers will meet Air India in the first semi finals.
TEAMS
M.Mohun Bagan : Shilton Paul, Dipak Mondol, Rakesh Masih, N.Mohonraj, Surkumar Singh, Marcos Pereira, Kalia Kulothungon, Mickey Fernandez, Snehasish Chakrabarty (Santa Kumar), L.James Singh (Sangram Mandi), Chidi Edeh.
Mahindra United : Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, Denzil Franco, D.Ravanan, Kali Alaudden, Susant Mathew, Debabrata Roy, K.Thoi singh, Md. Rafi, Aseem Kutty, Muritala Ali(Sushil Singh), Suetogar Mijin (N.P.Pradeep)
Yellow Cards : Micky Fernandez, Marcos Pereira and Deepak Mondal (Mohun Bagan) and S.Muritala Ali (Mahindra United).
Referee : A. Arjunan (Services)