Mohun Bagan kept themselves in the hunt for an unprecedented double in the ISL by storming into the final with a 3-2 aggregate win over Odisha FC in Kolkata on Sunday. (More Football News)
Having lost the first leg of the semifinal 1-2 at Bhubaneswar, Mohun Bagan began on a do🌳minant note and struck through Jason Cummings in the 22nd minute to bring it level for the Mariners ꦆon aggregate.
After a flurry of attacks went abegging thanks to a resolute display by Amrinder Singh under the bar, Mohun Bagan finally struck the winning goal by comeback man Sahal Abdul Samad who came off the bench to strike from Manvir Singh's assis🍌t in the 90+3rd minute.
The goal came just 🐽when the match was meandering towards extra-time as the 62,000-plus capacity crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium erupted in joy withᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ chants of 'Joy Mohun Bagan' reverberating in the stands.
The victory came two weeks after Mohun Bagan won their maiden League Winners Shield at the same venue by defeating Mumbai City FC 2-1 to top the top-tier competition.
No team in the history of ISL has completed a double and Mohun Bagan will look to achieve the rare feat by taking on the winners of Mumbai City ဣand FC Goa in the summit clash slated in Kolkata on Saturday.
Mumbai City are ahead 3-2 before their return leg semifinal on Monda꧒y.
On a sultry evening, Mohun Bagan's former marksman Roy Krishna came close to scor𝔍ing on more than one o♔ccasion in the first-half but the home team defence held on.
They finally showed superb poaching skill to go 1-0 up in the contest and make it two-all on aggregate ౠjust before the half-hour mark.
Liston Co🅠laco skillfully set up Dimꦰitri Petratos with a pass from the edge of the box.
It led to a powerful shot that Amrinder sloppily𝐆 deflected into the danger area, where Cummings showed excellent instincts to score with a simple tap-in.
Making a comeback from injury, Sahal whꦯo was included in the 71st minute replacing Anirudh Thapa finally produced the magic moment after several of their attempts went abegging.
It was Manvir Singh, who ran down the right fla💙nk to brilliantly set up the goal in the middle of the box, as Amrinder came off his line.
Lurking inside, Sahal showed brilliant presence of mind by refraining f⭕rom using his hand as the ball ricocheted off his body and crossed the goal line.
Till then, there were many anxious moments for the 🍬home side as they squandered about half a dozen chances with Colaco and Petratos in the thick of things.
Amrinder also put up a brave front and denied several Mohun Bagan attempts, be it from Aಞnirudh Thapa or Colaco.
Odisha got their best chance in the 45+5th minute but it was a fine goalline cle๊arance by Hector Yuste that kept Mohun Bagan alive.
Subhasish Bose couldn💎't keep up with Krishna who received a Jahouh pass, created space in the midfield, and set up Isak as he struck past Vishal Kaith but the Spaniard covered his goalkee🐟per well from behind.
