KOLKATA: From an all-winning streak of five matches, Mohun Bagan SG’s ISL-10 campaign has suddenly plumbed new depths. Kerala Blasters became the latest team to pile more misery on Juan Ferrando’s side, completing a 1-0 win thanks to Dimitrios Diamantakos’ 9th-minute stunner at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.
The result means Ivan Vukomanović’s Blasters moved to top of the standings on the back of a hat-trick of wins and with 26 points from 12 games — 3 points ahead of FC Goa who have three games in hand — while Mohun Bagan suffered their third defeat in a row for the first time since the 2020-2021 season.
Ferrando’s side is now fifth with 19 points from 10 matches.
The two teams came into the contest with contrasting fortunes. While Bagan’s ambitions took severe hits with defeats to Mumbai City FC and FC Goa in the previous two matches, Kerala Blasters were enjoying a purple patch with back-to-back wins.
Missing several key players either through injury or suspension, Ferrando had to rejig his side, pairing up Sumeet Rathi With Hector Yuste at the centre of defence while Kiyan Nassiri was asked to mix his usual attacking run with rearguard responsibility. With Manvir Singh on the bench, the team pinned its hopes on the all-foreigners attacking line of Dimitri Petratos, Jason Cummings and Hugo Boumous.
It was Blasters who issued early warning when Diamantakos swooped on a blunder by full-back Asish Rai but his shot missed the target by a whisker.
Diamantakos’ breakthrough a few minutes later, however, was a piece of beauty.
When the rebound of Ghanaian Kwame Peprah’s goal-bound attempt, following a counter-break, fell to the feet of the Greek striker, Mohun Bagan’s backline seemed to have regrouped itself in dealing with the challenge. But once Deepak Tangri failed to intercept Diamantakos from across the D, it suddenly opened up space for the Blasters striker, who further impregnated the opportunity with quick thinking and remarkable vision. He saw the tiny gap between Hector Yuste and Rai and stormed the 18-yard box with menace, slaloming through the challenge of the two Bagan players and completing the job in style, beating Kaith with a left-footed scorcher.
It took just a span of six seconds for Diamantakos to complete his goal — his third in three successive games, and Bagan were suddenly looking at sixes and sevens.
Bagan came back into the game with more determination in the second half. They took the Blasters box by storm but fell short of achieving their goal.
Ferrando threw in Manvir (in place of Rathi) and Armando Sadiku (replacing Cummings) in desperate measures to rescue something from the game but in vain.
It was Blasters, who could have returned with a bigger margin of victory had the likes of Rahul KP and Daisuke, who replaced Diamantakos, not wasted some open chances towards the end.
