Reliance Foundation Development League: Mohun Bagan Super Giant Thrash East Bengal FC 5-1

Mohun Bagan Super Giant thrashed East Bengal FC 5-1 in the East Zone regional qualifier of the Reliance Foundation Development League at the Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay Stadium in Barrackpore on Monday.

Mohun Bagan SG’s Suhail Ahmad Bhat netted a brace as Sibajit Singh, Taison Singh and Dippendu Biswas scored one each before Aman CK pulled one back for East Bengal in the dying minutes of the match.

Contrary to the final score line, it was East Bengal who started the game on the front foot. Gunraj Singh’s free-kick even lightly rattled the crossbar in the sixth minute.

The Red and Gold faithful were vociferous in the stands, cheering every pass and abusing every opposition player with the choicest obscenities.

Once the Mariners weathered the initial storm, the floodgates opened for the Mohun Bagan supporters.

Sibajit scored a sublime free-kick in the 23rd minute after Fardin Ali Molla was felled just outside the penalty box as he tried to cut in from the right wing. A perfectly placed deadball into the top corner meant Ranjit Sarkar had no chance in the goal.

As the half rolled on, the young stars from Mohun Bagan with multiple players having senior continental as well as national experience, started dictating the tempo in midfield.

Come the 44th minute, Suhail was brought down outside the penalty box to stop a lightning break. Taison stepped up

and from a near-impossible angle, slotted home the second for Mohun Bagan SG.

After the break, Suhail scored two back-to-back goals.

In the 48th minute, Sibajit turned provider with the free-kick as Suhail turned the ball in from the ensuing melee.

Fardin’s shot was turned behind for a corner in the 67th minute as Taison’s cross found the eager head of Suahil as he thundered home the fourth.

East Bengal supporters started to thin out at the prospect of a fifth.

All hell broke loose when in the 82nd minute, Dippendu climbed the tallest to power home a goal.

The remaining red and yellow-clad supporters were treated to a face-saving goal from Aman.

With the full-time whistle, the Mariners cheered but it was Mohun Bagan SG coach Bastob Roy who quickly went over to console a tearful East Bengal keeper.

At the post-match press conference, he was a happy man but reminded everyone that the match, even though a Kolkata derby is being played between youngsters.

“As a coach, I am satisfied with just the three points even if it comes by a single goal margin. The rest of the goals are for the supporters. The next two matches are must-win games and we will have to shift our focus quickly to that. We are playing United Sports in a ground [Rabindra Sarobar Stadium] with treacherous conditions and I’m concerned about that,” Bastob Roy said.

“East Bengal conceded the goals in a single spell and hence they suffered a breakdown. It can happen to any team and as this is a development league, we should much rather focus on the learning that these players are gaining,” he added.