Mohun Bagan Super Giant came back from behind twice to beat NorthEast United FC 3-2 in the 2024-25 Indian Super League at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Monday.
Dippendu Biswas and Subhasish Bose scored to cancel out strikes from Mohammed Ali Bemammer and Alaaeddine Ajaraie as Jason Cummings netted the winner for the Mariners.
Inside two minutes, Alaeddine Ajaraie smashed the up-right with a left-footed shot after a cross from Jithin MS. Mohun Bagan had been warned.
At the four-minute mark, Mohammed Ali Bemammer fired NorthEast into the lead. It was Alaeddine again troubling the Mohun Bagan defence down the left wing as the cut-back was placed right into the corner from outside the penalty box and past Vishal Kaith.
Mohun Bagan did not take much time to respond though. In the 10th minute, Dippendu Biswas thundered in a header from a Dimitri Petratos free-kick.
With the game level again after an exciting opening few minutes, the teams looked to pack their respective mid-fields to thwart unwanted advances. It was the Mariners who were the more attacking side, trying hard to assert their dominance at home.
The Highlanders got their lead back in the 24th minute with a fast counter. Alaaeddine and Jithin combined with a brilliant one-two as the former smashed the ball through defenders and into the corner.
Mohun Bagan was shocked and wanted to bring parity to the scoreline.
In the 36th minute, Gurmeet collected a bounced header from Manvir Singh as replays confirmed that he had barely escaped crossing the goal line. Two minutes later, Miguel Zabaco saved Greg Stewart’s shot at goalmouth.
NorthEast United too had a chance to double their lead just before the end of the first half, when Guillermo Fernandez almost turned in Bemammer’s cross as his smart flick was smothered by Kaith.
The second half resumed with neither manager tinkering with their elevens and their luck didn’t change either.
In the 49th minute, Stewart’s flick at the front post missed the target from a Petratos corner.
The skies opened up soon after as NorthEast keeper Gurmeet was left high and dry by the Mariners’ constant attacks.
In the 61st minute, captain Subhasish bundled the ball over the line after Tom Aldred’s effort that almost caught the NEUFC keeper off guard.
The rain staggered to a stop as Jose Molina called on Jamie Maclaren for his debut with just more than 10 minutes left. The Aussie star could have scored with practically his first touch when Gurmeet rushed out of his goal. Maclaren got the ball from Stewart and with an open goal in front of him, he missed the chance.
Mohun Bagan’s persistence paid off in the 87th minute as fellow Aussie substitute Jason Cummings smashed a well-worked move into the top corner. Sahal was played in behind by Stewart and in turn, squared it back for Cummings who finished off the chance with a first-time shot. The comeback win was complete.
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