ISL: Aussies strike, Mohun Bagan outshine East Bengal - Talking Points

Mohun Bagan maintained their clean sheet against arch-rivals East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL) as they won the Kolkata derby 2-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.

The Mariners defeated the Red and Gold brigade for the eight time in nine meetings, courtesy of goals by the club's Australian players.

Mohun Bagan delivered a clinical performance as they went up to the second spot on the points table with ten points in five matches.

East Bengal, by contrast, continue to languish at the bottom of the table.

Here are the key talking points from the match:

Jamie Mclaren dazzles

Jamie Mclaren's impressive run since he made his ISL debut against Mohammedan Sporting continues. After scoring on debut in Mohun Bagan's previous ISL match, Maclaren opened the scoring for Jose Molina's team this evening.

In the 41st minute of the game, Mclaren found the back of the net, with an unmarked Manvir Singh coming up with a decisive pass from the left flank and the Australian player scored dodging Anwar Ali, who was found wanting in his effort to stop Mclaren from rising in the box.

Manvir and Liston's free runs

Two players who created the most number of chances in the match were Manvir Singh and Liston Colaco. They made sure Mohun Bagan had an ample supply of the balls throughout the game.

Both Manvir, operating on the right flank, and Liston, playing on the left side, kept East Bengal's defence busy with their freewheeling movements on the flanks.

Mohun Bagan, however, could not make use of the chances initially. But Manvir was never shy of creating chances. In the 25th minute of the match, when he got a Greg Stewart delivery from outside the box, he almost scored with a behind-the-back header but a brilliant save by Prabhsukhan Singh Gill denied him the chance to score.

Similarly, Liston, operated fluently on the left flank, creating a flurry of chances. He also came close to scoring when Stewart's long delivery fell on his feet, but the Indian player could not execute the shot.

East Bengal's blunt attacking prowess

East Bengal's winless streak continues. They lost five matches in a row - their most since they started playing in the ISL in 2020-21. In the 2022-2023 season, East Bengal lost four consecutive matches. This time they surpassed the previous record due to reasons that they failed to address despite having a good team at their disposal.

In the match against Mohun Bagan, only Nandha Kumar and Madih Talal looked in touch, as they showed serious intent to create chances. They were successful on a few occasions. One such occasion came in the first half when Saul Crespo headed down a centre from Nandha in the Mohun Bagan box. But his shot lacked power, and Vishal Kaith made a clean save. But in most of the match, East Bengal's attack lacked sharpness.

Oscar Bruzon, the newly appointed coach of the club, said 'things are not working well'. "I deserve some time to observe and tackle things," he added.

Dimitrios Petratos shines

Petratos came in as a substitute for Mclaren in the 70th minute. The Australian footballer made an immediate effect. His quick runs gave East Bengal's defence a tough time. He eventually forced East Bengal goalkeeper Gill to commit a mistake. With Petratos moving with the ball dangerously, a diving Gill tackled him while trying to save the ball. Referee Tejas did not have any doubt as he gave a penalty to Mohun Bagan. Petratos, stepping in, made no mistake. His grounded shot hit the net and gave Mohun Bagan a 2-0 win.

Flamboyant Mohun Bagan fans

As Mohun Bagan are well past their early hiccups of the season, the club's fans found reasons to rejoice. And they could not have asked for a better moment to celebrate the club's upsurge in the ISL 2024-25.

On Saturday, a large crowd thronged the Salt Lake Stadium, even from the rural corners of West Bengal, to see their team beating their archrivals East Bengal.

The win of Mohun Bagan silenced the East Bengal fans. When Petratos scored and sealed a 2-0 win, the Mohun Bagan fans lit up the green and maroon flares at the Salt Lake Stadium to celebrate their remarkable victory.

On their way back home, the jubilant fans cheered for their club and jeered at East Bengal fans.

With Mohun Bagan leaving for away clashes against Hyderabad FC and Odisha FC, this victory would raise the confidence level not only of the fans but the team as well.