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regular-article-logo Monday, 20 May 2024

Mumbai City silence Bagan and treble talk: Visitors run Antonio Lopez Habas's men ragged

On Saturday Mumbai City forced a stunned silence at the packed stadium beating Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-1 and taking home the ISL-X Cup. After 2020-21, it is the second time they won the Cup

Angshuman Roy Calcutta Published 05.05.24, 09:54 AM
Jason Cummings (right) dinks the ball over Mumbai City goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa to make it 1-0 for Mohun Bagan Super Giant during the ISL-X Cup final at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.

Jason Cummings (right) dinks the ball over Mumbai City goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa to make it 1-0 for Mohun Bagan Super Giant during the ISL-X Cup final at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday. Sanat Kumar Sinha

Mumbai City did a Salgaocar Sports Club.

In July 1997, Bruno Coutinho’s Salgaocar silenced more than one lakh East Bengal supporters in the Federation Cup final at the Salt Lake Stadium.

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On Saturday Mumbai City forced a stunned silence at the packed stadium beating Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-1 and taking home the ISL-X Cup. After 2020-21, it is the second time they won the Cup.

Mumbai City had lost the League Shield to Bagan at the same ground on April 15. Revenge exacted in less than 21 days.

By the time the final whistle was blown, most of the Bagan fans had left the stands. Dejected. The dream of a treble lay shattered.Bipin Singh scores Mumbai City's second goal against Mohun Bagan on Saturday

Bipin Singh scores Mumbai City's second goal against Mohun Bagan on Saturday.

Bipin Singh scores Mumbai City's second goal against Mohun Bagan on Saturday. The Telegraph

On match-eve, Petr Kratky had promised his team would not be passive like they were on April 15. And he kept his word.

Over 90 minutes, Mumbai City ruled over Bagan, attacking at will. If they were more industrious in front of the goal, the margin would have been more embarrassing for Antonio Lopez Habas and his men.

Bagan were also lucky when referee R. Venkatesh failed to spot defender Hector Yuste’s handball inside the penalty box.

Bagan were completely clueless against the speed of Mumbai City. The likes of Lallianzuala Chhangte, Vikram Pratap Singh, Jayesh Rane, Jorge Pereyra Diaz — his last match for Mumbai as he is all set to join Bengaluru FC — and Alberto Noguera made life miserable for Bagan.

And at the centre of the park, there was Apuia Ralte. Apuia kept Joni Kauko subdued and why Habas continued with the Finn, not bringing in Brendan Hamill, would be asked over the next few days. It was Bagan who took the lead much against the run of play. Dimitri Petratos’s long-ranger was saved by Phurba Lachenpa but he pushed it straight to Jason Cummins who dinked the rebound over the keeper.

Mumbai City’s equaliser came eight minutes after the half-time. A long ball from Tiri and Diaz took Manvir Singh in his stride running all the way to the Bagan box and scoring past goalkeeper Vishal Kaith. Bipin Singh, who came in place of Rane in the 78th minute, made it 2-1 in the 81st.

Bamboozled by the speed of Mumbai, Bagan could only watch as Bipin volleyed home. Seven minutes into the injury-time, another substitute Jakub Vojtus’s left-footed volley hit the target.

Thirty minutes later Mumbai gave Bagan, the Shield winners, a guard of honour and then walked up to the podium to receive the Cup.

But that was done in front of an empty Salt Lake Stadium.

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