KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan SG ended their hoodoo against Mumbai City FC in style, outpacing and outsmarting the ISL Shield winners 3-1 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday and storming into the Durand Cup semifinals.
Jason Cummings gave Juan Ferrando's side a perfect start, earning and converting a penalty in the 9th minute. Jorge Pereyra Diaz made it 1-1 for Mumbai in the 27th minute but Bagan were back in the lead within three minutes through Manvir Singh's goal.
Anwar Ali then clinched the issue for the green-and-maroon brigade, rising to the occasion and planting a perfect header past Mumbai City FC goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa in the 63rd minute.
This was Mohun Bagan's first win in 9 meetings with the rivals from the Arabian Sea coast across all tournaments since the Kolkata side's initiation in the Indian Super League in 2020-2021 season.
Cummings & Co. will take on another ISL side FC Goa in the second semi-final on Thursday.
In the battle between reigning ISL Shield holders and championship winners, Ferrando's team emerged the dominant side early on and deservedly took the lead.
Ashique Kuruniyan — a livewire on the left flank — sent Cummings through with a defence-splitting pass. The Australian World Cupper, seeing Lachenpa come out of his line, twisted to the left with a quick turn and drew a foul from the Mumbai goalkeeper in the process. Referee Venkatesh R made no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Cummings stepped up with a well-executed penalty.
The goal jolted Des Buckingham's AFC Champions League-preparing team out of a slumber, with Lallianzuala Chhangte and Bipin Singh beginning to pose their usual threat from the wings. However, it was a nice interplay involving Mumbai's three foreigners which led to their equaliser.
Alberto Noguera started the move and, playing a quick 1-2 with Greg Stewart, laid it off across the face of the goal. Bagan custodian Vishal Kaith managed to get a hand to it, but the ball bounced in front of him and Diaz was on hand to push it in.
But Bagan came calling soon and regained the lead — Hugo Boumous floating a centre from the far end following Sahal Abdul Amhed's corner and Manvir was allowed to plant a free header into the Mumbai net.
While Bagan grew in confidence after the second goal, Mumbai struggled to impose themselves. Their usual free-flowing football was hardly visible and they lacked a cutting edge in the final third.
However, they might have been immensely upset by the referee's decision when their appeal for a penalty after Stewart was brought down by Anwar inside the box was completely ignored in the 55th minute.
Instead Anwar came forward and delivered the killer blow to them. Ashique was again at the heart of the move, snaking his way past a couple of challengers before floating a deft cross from the right and Anwar leapt up to head in — his third goal in green and maroon colours.
SEMIFINAL LINE-UP
August 29: East Bengal FC vs NorthEast United FC;
August 31: Mohun Bagan SG vs FC Goa.
