Mohun Bagan lost to Vasco 1-0 in a Group D match of Federation Cup held today in Barasat Krirangan. Mohun Bagan missed many chances to score and Sangram made a bad mistake to concede the only goal of the match. Mohun Bagan now has 3 points from 2 matches and will play against Air India on December 16th in their last match of the group.

Mohun Bagan lost 1-0 to Vasco Sports Club and face a daunting task in their last match against Air India to qualify for Semi Finals of Federation Cup. In their last match against Air India, not only will they have to defeat Air India but also will have to hope that Vasco does not beat Oil India by more goals. Mohun Bagan’s goal average now stands at 2-2 while Vasco’s at 1-1, so if Vasco wins the match by 2 goals, then Mariners will also have to win the match by 2 goals and then they will reach semi finals having scored more goals. All these equations would not have been required had Mohun Bagan did not waste at least 3 sitters to score, on the other hand Sangram made a horrendous mistake and conceded one silly goal. Sangram is responsible for both the goals that Mohun Bagan has conceded in this year’s Fed cup. In the earlier match today, Air India drew 1-1 with Oil India and so if Mohun Bagan had won this match, they would have almost reached semi finals.

Mohun Bagan played attacking football in first half but as time progressed, flare disappeared from their game and especially in 2nd half after Kareem moved to 4-3-3 Vasco got more space in midfield and attacked more. Mohun Bagan started the game in 4-4-2 formation with Baichung and Lalampuia in forward and Barreto not in first team because of injury problem but during the end of the session, Kareem put Ishfaq in forward and moved rightly to 4-3-3 but today unfortunately the three midfielders could not play to their potential in 2nd half, Masih in particular was completely off color today. Kareem brought in Barreto, Kartick and Tulunga in 2nd half. Barreto and Kartick tried a lot but the luck was not in favor of Mariners. In defence, other than Deepak all looked very shaky.

In 1st half, Baichung scored off his left foot, a brilliant shot indeed but he was just offside. Ishfaq in one instance ran nicely down left flank and then he cut inside and took a shot from edge of box but narrowly missed target. In 2nd half, just after Barreto replaced Lalampuia, he gave a delightful through pass to Marcos who had just goalkeeper to beat, but he shot straight into goalkeeper, easiest chance of the match missed. Kartick put a cross from right flank to Barreto who completely miscued the shot and missed another golden chance to score. Just few minutes before final whistle, Kartick gave a pass to Baichung who positioned himself nicely in the box but from the right side he took a wayward shot.

The moment that Habibur would not forget in long time was when due to his silly mistake, a goal of Baichung was disallowed. Mohun Bagan got a direct free kick from outside box. Marcos bended it like Beckham and it hit the post with goalkeeper having no chance to move. From return ball, Baichung and Vasco goalkeeper leaped together but Baichung won the ball and his head beat goalkeeper and was entering goal and Habibur was standing in goalline at that time. Instead of moving away from goalline, he pushed the ball inside goal and was rightly judged offside by linesman. If Habibur had not touched the ball, he would not have been ruled offside and Mohun Bagan would have been 1-0 up.

The goal which Bagan conceded in 80th minute, Angelo lobbed from right side and Sangram completely missed the flight and ball went into far corner. Sangram did not even try to get the ball, he thought the ball was going over post, it was a case of terrible judgment.

Mohun Bagan and Vasco now has 3 points from 2 matches while Air India has 4 points from 2 matches. Oil India has 1 point from 2 matches.

TEAM:  Sangram, Habibur, Dipak, Vashan, Mohanraj, James Singh Sr. (Kartick 58), Rakesh Masih, Marcos Perreira, Ishfaq Ahmed (Lalkamal 76), Baichung Bhutia, Lalampuia (Jose Barreto 58).

YELLOW CARD: James Singh Sr.

Mohun Bagan drew with Mohammedan Sporting 1-1 in a Premier Division Match of CFL held in Salt Lake Stadium. Mohammedan went ahead via a debatable penalty in 44th minute and Mariners leveled in injury time of 2nd half via Habibur. This is Habibur’s 2nd goal in as many matches.Mohun Bagan now have 24 points from 11 matches and will play their next match against Port Trust.

Mohun Bagan started the match without Baichung, Lalampuia, Ishfaq and Branco in their lineup and injured Barreto in reserve bench. With Tulunga and Kartick in attacking front, Bagan pressed from start and Kartick with his down the line run in left flank often caused panic in Mohammedan defence. Within minutes, Lalramlua centered from right and Kartick stretched to meet the ball but just could not connect the ball. In Mohun Bagan midfield, Lalkamal was not in the first team and in his absence Junior James, Lalramlua and Rakesh Masih took a huge load and continued attacking. Though Junior James played much better football than previous matches, he missed an easy chance when from Kartick’s center he got an loose ball inside box but fumbled with the ball and missed an golden opportunity. Kartick also missed an easy chance when a back head from Sporting defender reached him but he could not capitalize on the opportunity. Against run of play from a counter attack Sporting got a penalty when Theo fell inside box while trapping the ball, Mohanraj was with him and there was no such push that penalty was to be given, linesman was close to the incident and he did not raise the flag whereas referee was in center circle and he blew his whistle from such distance. Theo convered the penalty in 44th minute.

In 2nd half, Barreto and Rino Anto replaced Tapan Maity and Mohanraj and Bagan attacked more for equalizer. In 2nd minute, from a Junior James free kick, Habibur headed the ball nicely but Mohammedan goalkeeper made a brilliant save. Mohammedan got one easy chance but Rino Anto came as a savior when his brilliant intervention saved the day for Bagan. However, in the last minute from a free kick by Lalkamal, Barreto headed beautifully on to the far post where Habibur stretched fully and guided the ball in with his right foot, a brilliant attempt indeed from Habibur.

TEAM: Sangram, Habibur, Deepak, Peter Odafe, Mohanraj (Rino Anto 46), Lalramlua, Junior James Singh (Lalkamal 66), Rakesh Masih, Tapan Maity (Barreto 46), Kartick Kisku, Tulunga.