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ATK Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City FC played out a breath-taking 2-2 draw at the Mumbai Football Arena on Sunday, November 6 – a result that continued the Islanders’ unbeaten start to the season.
The hosts began on the front foot, surging ahead through Lallianzuala Chhangte. The winger picked up the ball in the inside right channel, danced past Subhasish Bose and rifled it into the back of the net as early as the fourth minute. The Islanders’ dominance continued in the opening quarter, although they could not double their lead.
Their lead was then cut short just minutes after the half-time break, with Mehtab Singh inadvertently diverting the ball into his own net. The goal was given to Joni Kauko, who took the shot. Rostyn Griffiths propelled Mumbai City FC into the lead in the 72nd minute but their joy was short-lived with Carl McHugh leveling proceedings in the 88th minute.
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Here are three things we learned from the ATK Mohun Bagan vs. Mumbai City FC game:
#1 Lallianzuala Chhangte is probably the best Indian winger right now
For those who have watched any ISL game featuring Mumbai City FC, this might not come as a surprise. Chhangte has been scoring freely for the Islanders this season and has been a constant attacking outlet on the right. Against ATK Mohun Bagan, though, he took his level up a notch.
In the early exchanges, he turned Subhasish Bose inside out. He the set the ball up perfectly to lash home the opener from almost 25 yards out. Apart from that, too, there was an inclination on Mumbai City FC’s part to isolate him against Bose – a ploy that caused ATK Mohun Bagan all sorts of problems.
He also popped up on the left on a few occasions and enjoyed some neat interplay with Greg Stewart on the left flank. Chhangte also did his fair share of defensive work, with his contributions being epitomized by a sprawling tackle to block Liston Colaco going forward just after Chhangte had given the Islanders the lead.
For the past few years, there has been no doubt that Chhangte is among the most talented players in the country. However, at Chennaiyin FC, he began stagnating and an indifferent debut half-season at Mumbai City FC only made people question if he would ever fulfill his potential.
Now, he is doing so, and doing so in some style. Other Indian wingers were on display too, namely Bipin Singh, Colaco and Manvir Singh. All of them have been India’s first-choice wide players in the recent past. None, however, had as much of an impact as Chhangte today, especially in the first half. That should tell you everything about the level Chhangte is operating at.
He is probably the best Indian winger right now.
#Rostyn Griffiths can do it all
The very best defenders in the ISL have an aura about them. Most of them have established that sort of dominance from the first time they stepped foot in the country. Griffiths, if you did not know already, falls into that exact category.
Against ATK Mohun Bagan, Griffiths was sensational, and even that might seem an understatement. As early as the 14th minute, he was in the right place at the right time to stop an impending Mariners chance. As the half wore on and the Islanders tired, he was called into action more often. He had to deal with a lot more crosses and excelled, keeping Dimitrios Petratos at bay for large stretches.
When Mumbai City FC retook the lead and needed a bit of calm, Griffiths did his bit, recycling possession and ensuring that everyone in blue kept their head, even as those in maroon lost theirs (more on this later). If that wasn't enough, he also hit the bar once before reacting quickly enough to bundle home the rebound, thereby restoring the hosts’ lead.
Griffiths can really do it all. He can handle the forwards of Hugo Boumous and Petratos’ ilk. He can score at the other end, and his composure rubs off on others around him. Oh, and he is perhaps the only defender since the inception of the ISL to make the club not miss Mourtada Fall’s services.
Must be a special player then, right?
#ATK Mohun Bagan are never beaten until the final whistle
Well, this is stating the obvious a little. But the Mariners barely got a kick in the first 20 minutes. They were stunned by Chhangte in the fourth minute. Griffiths then knocked the wind out of their sails with a scrappy yet important goal in the 72nd minute. ATK Mohun Bagan, though, kept coming at Mumbai City FC.
They were rewarded in the 88th minute when substitute Carl McHugh rose highest to nod home Petratos’ free-kick from the left. Petratos struck the woodwork himself as the game descended into chaos towards the end. Mumbai City FC could argue that they were a tad unlucky, having hit the post as many as four times in the game. What they can’t deny, though, is that the Mariners are a tough side to beat, probably because they never know when to throw in the towel.
This is the second time ATK Mohun Bagan have pulled a result out of the fire. Remember that manic encounter in Kochi that they won 5-2? Well, they trailed very early in that fixture too. They have now stopped Mumbai City FC from clinching all three points.
It was not a statement victory that Juan Ferrando would have wanted. But these points will come in handy when push comes to shove. Even in those situations, you feel the Mariners have enough in their tank to last the distance.
