ATK Mohun Bagan scored twice and missed many more before registering a 2-0 win over FC Goa in a second phase match of ISL-8 at Bambolim on Tuesday. Manvir Singh scored both goals, once in each half, to help ATK MB pull level with leader Hyderabad FC (29 points). The Mariners, who have played a match less, are second on goal average.
In the third minute, Manvir found the target with a glancing header off a curling corner from Liston Colaco. The Kolkata side, however, turned defensive as it was missing its injured star strikers, Roy Krishna and Hugo Boumous.
A shoddy session of play, marked by mispasses and lack of coordination among the ATK MB defenders, provided Goa an opportunity to get back into the game.
ATK MB was fortunate enough to not concede at least a couple of goals as Jorge Ortiz created chances in the 16th and 20th minutes but couldn’t utilise them. Goa enjoyed more than 60% of possession and played a fluid game, but continued to miss a good striker who could convert the opportunities.
In the 34th minute, Goa came the closest to finding the equaliser when Anwar Ali moved up from defence to fire a pile-driver, but ATK MB goalkeeper Amrinder Singh managed to get his hand in the way and the ball rebounded off the crosspiece. There was a 10-minute stoppage late in the first half when a section of the floodlights went off.
Manvir struck his second in the 46th minute. Lenny Rodrigues snatched the ball from Goa midfielder Princeton Rebello and set up Manvir with a piercing through pass and the India international made no mistake. Manvir had the chance to perform a hat-trick but Goa custodian Dheeraj Singh denied him with a super save in the 49th minute.
The result: FC Goa 0 lost to ATK MB 2 (Manvir 3 & 46).
