Apr 07, 2025 10:33 PM IST
Kolkata: Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Jamshedpur FC 2-0, thanks to goals from Jason Cummings and Lalengmawia Ralte, securing a spot in the ISL final.
Kolkata: All night they rushed shots or snatched at them. Till, in the 90+4, Lalengmawia Ralte fired one from 25 yards that swerved away from Albino Gomes and flew into the net he had brilliantly guarded. Jason Cummings had put ISL league shield winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant ahead with a 51st minute penalty before Ralte’s strike snuffed out Jamshedpur FC’s heroic rearguard action for a 2-0 win in front of over 58,000 at Salt Lake stadium here on Monday.
After the 3-2 aggregate win, Bengaluru FC stand between Mohun Bagan and a first ISL double here on Saturday.
It was one of football’s cruelties that Pronay Halder was responsible for both goals for the stand-in central defender had been a standout performer. It was Halder’s hand that led to the penalty and it was his mispass, tired legs and all that, from which Ralte struck sparking raucous celebrations.
Mohun Bagan had 10 shots on target, Ashique Kuruniyan danced around the Jamshedpur FC defence but they couldn’t get the ball behind Jamshedpur FC’s defence. Also, if Mohun Bagan had to wait for their third successive cup final appearance it was because of Gomes. The save off Jamie Maclaren’s header in the 59th minute was probably the best of the night.
Being calm is always important, Jose Molina had said ahead of the second leg with his team trailing 1-2. But you also need to push, the Mohun Bagan coach had said. “Hope we can find the balance.”
Mohun Bagan didn’t till Halder hung his hand out, off Cummings’s corner-kick. Alberto Rodriguez did find Gomes out of position but his volley was headed out from the goalline by Sourav Das in the 18th. With everything they had, Lazar Cirkovic’s head once and Javier Hernandez’s back another time, Jamshedpur FC defended. Symptomatic of their plan was Seimlen Doungel, an inspired choice as left-back by coach Khalid Jamil, beating Rodriguez in his penalty area and hoofing it to nowhere.
From ATK through ATK Mohun Bagan to Mohun Bagan Super Giant, the franchise have had a difficult relationship with ISL semi-finals. Only once, under Molina in 2016 did they win the first leg and go through. The remaining five final appearances had them either losing the first-leg or being held. Mohun Bagan do it the hard way but they sure know how to win such ties.
