Katsumi Yusa celebrating after his goal against Chennai City FC at the Rabindra Sarovar stadium on Sunday. Image Source: XtraTime[/caption]Kolkata: Mohun Bagan played what could turn out to be their most important match of the league when they took on Chennai City FC in what appeared to be the match that would choose the league leaders. Aizawl FC who played against Shillong would require only a point to be crowned as Champions. Mohun Bagan also had chance to lift the trophy if they could have won their match and if Shillong Lajong could have defeated Aizawl. Had that been the case then the Green and Maroon side would win the league on having a better goal difference.
Mohun Bagan began the match on a positive note after series of attacks within the first two minutes. Chennai who was hardly getting the touch of the ball looked helpless. It was all one way traffic till the 7th minute when a foul was committed on Sony Norde. Katsumi Yusa, the captain tried his luck but ended up hitting the free kick wide.
Ninth minute in the clock and Rabindra Sarobar Sadium erupted in a huge jubilation as Lajong scored against Aizawl.
Chennai slowly put their mark in the game when they won a free kick at the edge of the box which was wasted as the ball hit the Green-maroon human wall. The first corner was awarded to Chennai at 11th minute mark.
Sixteenth minute saw a brilliant dribbling from Sony Norde running down the left wing, who provided a brilliant cross to Balwant Singh who missed to put the ball at the back of the net. Just a minute later, Scottish striker Darryl Duffy missed another chance to score.
The clock showed 20th minute as Sony ran down the middle, and shot well above the crossbar. Attacks and attacks but all went in vain for the Mariners as they failed to convert their chances in the first half.
There were however only a few chances from Chennai City FC, who looked threatening in their counter moves. In the run of play, Chennai’s Vanspaul's shot went over the bar.
At the stroke of 26th Reyinar Fernandes was subbed off as the Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen brought on Souvik Chakraborty into the match.
A brilliant move built by the Haitian who set a free Yusa down the right, who sent a brilliantly placed ball at the feet of Balwant who failed to score from inside the box.
In the 31st minute Chennai FC drew the first blood of the match. Vanspaul down the middle sets Nandhakumar who ran past Anas and scored an easy goal which the Bagan goalie had nothing to do what so ever.
A free Soosairaj running down the left wing was brought down by Sehnaj Singh who receives the first yellow card of the game. Balwant Singh missed a sitter for the second time at the mark of 42th minute, when he again placed his header wide.
A long free kick by Raju saw Balwant chesting the ball down in the opponent penalty box and setting it up to Katsumi Yusa who scored the equalizing goal for the Green-Maroon Brigade at the dying minutes of the extra time.
The referee blew the whistle to end the half as the score remains locked at 1-1. The first half saw Bagan keeping most of the possession and also higher in attacking stats but it was Chennai who made most of their attacks from their counter attacking moves.
Mohun Bagan began their second half with renewed vigor as they kept on attacking the visiting Chennai side.
Darryl Duffy fell in the opponent box and shouted of penalty, but referee who was positioned nearby waived off. Duffy alone ran along the left flank and was about to reach the opponent box when a sliding tackle from defender Wayne saved the Chennai side from the blushes.
The second substitution for the Marnier’s saw Sanjoy Sen improving his side’s fire-power when Sehnaj Singh was brought off and Jeje was brought in the 65th minute.
A hush silence fell in the stadium as the Bagan fans got the news that Aizawl had equalized in the other match.
Darryl Duffy scored at the 77th and revived hopes for the Mariner’s after a brilliant pass from Jeje who was running down the right flank. Jeje placed a sublime pass to the Scottish striker who placed the ball behind the net calmly.
80th minute saw huge drama and confusion as marching order was given to Bagan goalkeeper Debjit Majumder who denied Soosairaj from shooting the box in an illegal fashion. The linesman showed his flag siting Debjit held the ball after crossing the line of the goal box which prompted the referee to show the red card. Debjit who was convinced that he handled the ball on the line was seen angrily walking off the field while the referee was surrounded by protesting Bagan players.
For the forced substitution Balwant Singh went off and substitute goalie Shibinraj came on. Chennai Coty tried to take advantage of a 10 men Bagan side but the Kolkata side defence stood firm.
The match finally came to an end at the end of 5 added minutes. The Haitian Sony Norde was adjudged the Man of the match.
The score read the home side winning 2-1 but it’s Aizawl FC who had won the League after the North-East derby ended 1-1.
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