Category: Notice and Updates

An Open Letter from a fan from USA

Its more than 10 months since Mohun Bagan won the last trophy. Karim Bencharifa is working overtime with the team. But the morale of the team seems to be down – at least the way the team played against Dempo SC today.

Karim Bencharifa is one of the very capable managers the country has today. But as the Head Coach of Mohun Bagan – he is not having best of the time I must say.
 
I am afraid we will end the year without anything. Dempo with 6 men from 1st 11 out, played the entire match in MB half, and MB with almost a full team (minus Deepak and Chidi) defended with 10 men!! This is not the way Karim Bencharifa coaches! 
 
Barreto was always alone in Dempo defense looking for something, which he never got. Marcos was playing as a stopper beside Azim and Mandi to foil an attack comprised of Chetri and Joakim. Snehashish was non-existing in the field but was never replaced. Mr Head coach – please remember there are 3 substitutions are allowed in a game!
 
Mohun Bagan should NEVER play with the defensive mindset that they have shown today. I am afraid but at moments it seemed as if Dempo is not playing with Bagan (remindes me "Kumartuli" – a name used by one of our ex-coaches)
 
Sir, please understand we can tolerate losses until and unless Mohun Bagan is playing like Mohun Bagan. But we can’t watch Mohun Bagan playing like a 4th division club and losing a match. 
 
 
I might be rude here but believe me, its coming straight out of hearts. I still don’t believe that we can’t win I League. But we need to call a spade a spade. The coach and the officials must understand the sentiments of the fans. I would suggest taking necessary steps so that we get back to the ground as a team! Then we can see what happens in 2nd phase. I still believe that officials built the best team of the country this year and we deserve to win the I League. 
 
I know if this article is published, I will be getting hate mails from all over but dear friends, pls ask yourselves if I am right or wrong!
 
Suryasish Banerjee @ USA

Mohun Bagan 1-2 Salgaokar

Mohun Bagan suffered a setback to their title hopes as they were beaten by old rivals Salgaokar SC. Sueoka Ryuji helped Bagan getting an early lead when he scored from a header in the 13th minute. Coach Karim Bencharifa kept Zenith Mashangva beside NS Manju as a defender in the starting XI. Zenith sent a long through from the right into the box that found Sueoka who headed the ball into the goal (1-0)

Later Ekene Ikenwa replaced injured Avneet Singh Shergill. With this change Salgaokar started building on moves that put the rival defense with Manju, donning the jersey for the first time in the season, under pressure constantly. In the 44th minute Milagres Gonsalves shot a long through into the box that found Keita Mandjou who chest-trapped the ball , got past Manju and pushed the ball past Shilton’s right side (1-1). At the lemon break the score levelled 1-1! At the 47th minute Francis Fernandes moved up on the right flank, got past Bagan defenders and went for a final pass to Keita Mandjou who missed the ball and Ekene Ikenwa tapped in to the goal (1-2)! Coach Karim made couple of changes as Masih replaced Manju and Snehasish replaced Ishfaq. Bagan almost found the equalizer in the 52nd minute when Barreto got a pass from Ishfaq and his header was foiled by Luciano Sabrosa. Luciano did well to consolidate Salgaokar defense and Bagan failed to score the equalizer. Bagan got an opportunity to ride onto the top position in the League table but this loss kept them at bay! Goals : MB : Sueoka Ryuji SSC: Keita Mandjou, and Ekene Ikenwa Yellow Card : Ishfaq Ahmed (MB), Rocus Lamare ( SSC) Team : Shilton, Surkumar, Manju (Masih), Zenith, Biswajit (Tomba), James, Marcos, Kulothungan, Ishfaq(Snehasish), Sueoka, Barreto

Mohun Bagan 2-1 Mahindra United

So many optimism before the game, so many positive comments on our players coming of age. And yes, team Mohun Bagan did what it does best – wins 2-1 against Mahindra United. Karim Bencharifa’s men came from a goal down in what was a pulsating first leg tie between the country’s best bets for the iLeague this year. The visitors equalized from a Marcos goal and later had a comfortable win with Sueoka scoring the winner. Bagan is now having 20 points from 11 matches, same as Mahindra United. Mahindra (+13) retains the top spot and Bagan(+10) might have to wait couple of rounds to place itself at the top.

  Bagan was in an attacking mood right from the word GO. In the 2nd minute Bagan earned a free kick. Marcos took the shot. But Subhasish was alert and collected the ball well.

In the 7th minute of the match Paresh shivalkar went out and Thoi singh replaced him. And within two minutes Md. Rafi scored for Mahindra. Steven Dias crossed a ball from the right, Shilton fumbled and and Rafi headed the ball into the goal(1-0).
 
for next 15 minutes Bagan defense got shaken. At this time Mandi foiled a Mahindra attack while Shilton missed a Muritala header and the woodworks saved the day for Bagan.
Bagan slowly started taking control of the match as Sueoka and Ishfaq started moving from the two flanks. In the 25th minute Sueoka cross a ball for Barreto but Barreto failed to reach near the ball. For next 10 minutes Marcos and Sueoka started building up the pressure on Mahindra defense that started looking fragile. In the 32nd minute Sueoka crossed a ball for Barreto who failed to convert it to a goal. subhasish collected the ball well.
 
Soon Mahindra started rebuilding its defense and Pradeep did well to stop Marcos runs. This was the time when Bagan midfield took over the control – Ishfaq, Marcos, Kulothungan and Sueoka created lot of opportunities. In the 42nd minute Thoi singh was replaced by Kalialauddin.
 
In the 45th minute Ishfaq collided with Subhasish. Muritala came from nowhere and started reacting. Players from both the teams lost their temper. Later Muritala was booked.
 
Post lemon break both the teams started playing attacking football. In the 52nd minute in-form James replaced Tomba. This gave Bagan an edge. His movementsz from the right created panic in Mahindra defense. In the 58th minute Barreto got the ball in side the box, and Subhasish had to fist his shot back to the box. Marcos got the control of the ball and placed it well (1-1). In the 59th minute Surkumar was booked. In the 65th minute Sueoka headed from a James center. The header was right on target and Subhasish did well to save it. Kulothungan crossed the ball from left and Marcos had to push the ball in. But he missed this opportunity.
In the 70th minute Ishfaq made a brilliant cross from left – and Subhasish did well to save it for the Jeepmen.
 
In the 76th minute Biswajit moved from the left flank and crossed the ball for Sueoka. sueoka goes all out and his header got past Mahindra defense into the goal (2-1).

For next 15 minutes Mahindra went all out and shilton stood rock solid beneath the bars. He foiled couple of shots on target. Sagram and Azim also consolidated and made it impossible for the Jeepmen to score the equalizer.
 
Scorers :
Mohun Bagan :Marcos 58′, Sueoka 76′
Mahindra United: MD. Rafi 9′
 
M.O.M : Sueoka
 
Mohun Bagan : Shilton, Surkumar, Sagram, Azim, Biswajit, Tomba (James 52′), Marcos, Kulothungan, Ishfaq, Barreto, and Sueoka.
MU: Subhasish, Tamba,Ravanan, Sushant Mathew, Debabrata, Pradeep, Ajayan, Paresh (Thoi Singh 7′, Kalialauddin 44′), Steven Dias, Md. Rafi, and Muritala.