KOLKATA: Disappointment finally took the stands at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Friday as a 10-man NorthEast United FC ended their four-match unbeaten run at home as Mohun Bagan Super Giant notched up a 3-1 victory in their Indian Super League match.
The win strengthened the defending champions' position at third spot on the table and with 19 points from seven matches, Mohun Bagan are just a point behind leaders FC Goa and second-placed Kerala Blasters having played less games than both.
It was, however, depressing for the Juan Pedro Benali-coached side who failed to get a grip at the middle of the table and stayed on the seventh spot with just 10 points from as many matches.
It was the Higlanders though who started the game on a higher gear with the Bagan defence forced into making a block to a Mohammed Bemammer shot in the first minute itself.
However, the Bagan backline as well as goalkeeper Vishal Keith had no answer to a superb curling shot from Phalguni just a minute later. A Jithin M cross to the young NEUFC attacker was swerved in by a right-footed shot into the top right corner of the goal as the home fans were sent into frenzy by the breakthrough.
But their joy was short-lived as the visitors quickly got their act together and began making moves in search of an equaliser. Anirudh Thapa and Kiyan Nassiri were the most influential in the middle and upfront while Liston Colaco, too, began using his speed in deceiving the NEUFC defence.
And the premonition came for the hosts in the 12th minute when NEUFC custodian Mirshad Michu punched out a Nassiri free-kick instead of keeping the ball in his grip. It was left to a goalmouth melee among NEUFC defenders to keep Bagan attackers at bay from taking the final touch.
But just two minutes later, Michu did an encore as he tried punching out a free-kick from Colaco. This time the ball landed on the head on an onrushing Tangri and the NEUFC players watched in despair as the rebound went in.
The qualitative superiority of Bagan began to be more glaring as the equaliser gave the defending champions confidence to look for the lead. As Nassiri and Colaco became more menacing on the field, the number of set-pieces for Super Giant began to increase.
However, their lead came from a field goal with Thapa creating the move from outside the box in the 28th minute. It showcased the understanding among the Bagan attackers as his cross into the left of the box was met by a header from Armando Sadiku which landed on the feet of Cummings in front of the goal and the Scottish striker turned it in with his first touch.
Things then got worse for the hosts after the change of ends as Tondonba Singh, already on a yellow card for a first-half foul on Nassiri, weakened his side with another needless foul on the Bagan midfielder and was shown the red card by referee Harish Kundu.
From then on, the Highlanders looked incapable of getting back into the game as the ISL heavyweights kept pouncing on the NEUFC goal with the aim of increasing the lead. And they did that in the 71st minute when Subhasish Bose converted from a fine finish following another well-crafted team move.
