Defending champions Mohun Bagan pipped Sporting Clube de Goa 1-0 courtesy Katsumi Yusa’s late strike, tightening their grip on pole position of the I-League football tournament, here on Saturday.
Defending champions Mohun Bagan pipped Sporting Clube de Goa 1-0 courtesy Katsumi Yusa’s late strike, tightening their grip on pole position of the I-League football tournament, here on Saturday.
At the halfway stage after eight rounds, Mohun Bagan are the only team with an unbeaten record on 18 points from eight games with five wins and three draws. They are three points clear of second placed Benglauru FC, who are on 15 points with an equal number of wins.
Katsumi’s 73rd minute strike from a Sony Norde centre proved to be the difference in a match where the Goan side gave Mariners a tough time but it was their young goalkeeper Debjit Majumder who thwarted each attempt with an impressive performance.
The goal bound move was initiated by Bagan skipper Katsumi, who sent a cross-field ball for Norde on the wide side.
The Haitian winger kept a measured cross for Jeje Lapheklhua, who failed to connect it but Katsumi charged in to find the back of the net with a snap right-footer.
Goals were hard to come by even as both teams pressed hard and it was Debjit who should be credited for keeping a clean slate for the defending champions.
In Aizawl, J. Ayeni (66th) and H. Lalmuankima (68th) helped Mumbai FC beat the hosts 2-0 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
