The penultimate round of I-League 2016/17 serves up an intriguing battle for the title between Aizawl FC and Mohun Bagan. The underdogs, Aizawl have punched above their weight all season, leading to them fighting tooth and nail with one of the giants of Indian football, Mohun Bagan.
As things stand, both Aizawl and Bagan have accrued the same number of points, with the Mariners leading the league because of their better head-to-head record over the Reds. But come Saturday afternoon, all previous records and form books will amount to little when the two front-runners square off to each other in what promises to be an epic clash.
The game is at 2.05 PM on Saturday at Aizawl’s Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, and here are five battles that could prove to be the keys to the match’s result.
#1 Mahmoud Al-Amna vs Katsumi Yusa
The Syrian midfielder, Mahmoud Al-Amna, has been the driving force in Aizawl’s midfield all season and has become indispensable to the Reds’ patterns of play. Al-Amna has made 13 appearances this season, scoring three goals. But more than just the goals, his nous and experience have been vital to Aizawl’s unlikely title charge.
But Al-Amna will face a formidable direct rival in the form of the Bagan captain and midfield dynamo, Katsumi Yusa. The 28-year-old Japanese has been in fine form this term, playing all his club’s games and netting twice in the process. Yusa is the heartbeat of the current Bagan side and links play from back to front in build-up play.
It is his well-timed runs into the box that have made Yusa a key presence for the Mariners, but whether he can get past Al-Amna at the heart of Aizawl’s midfield could decide which way the result sways.
#2 Anas Edathodika vs Bayi Kamo Stephane
Despite attackers dominating headlines, Anas Edathodika has proved to be an inspired signing for Mohun Bagan this season. The centre-half from Malappuram has been an important presence in the Mariners’ backline that has conceded the fewest number of goals and kept the most number of clean sheets.
But, the 30-year-old Anas and his central defensive team-mate, Eduardo, will face a striker high on confidence in Aizawl’s Bayi Kamo Stephane. Kamo is the Reds’ top scorer this season with six goals to his name. And his brace against Churchill Brothers last weekend underlined the Ivorian’s impact at Aizawl in his first campaign with them.
Blessed with pace and an eye for goal, keeping the in-form Kamo in check will probably be the biggest challenge Anas and co. will have faced this season. Will Kamo be the man to breach Bagan’s water-tight defence? Will Anas give a defensive masterclass on Saturday? We will have the answers tomorrow.
#3 Sony Norde vs Ashutosh Mehta
Ashutosh Mehta will probably face the biggest challenge of his season on Saturday afternoon. In Sony Norde, the 26-year-old right-back will encounter one of the league’s best players. Haitian Norde has been in inspired form for Mohun Bagan of late. His crucial goals in the Kolkata derby and last weekend’s 1–0 win over Minerva Punjab have kept his team in the title hunt.
The jet-heeled Norde is among this season’s highest fouled players because his baller feet makes teams mark him aggressively, often with more than one man. Mehta is sure to have his task cut out to stop Norde, who is almost always the preferred attacking outlet for Bagan.
For a right-back who loves to bomb forward, Mehta’s role on Saturday could be a more defensive one. That will, in turn, have an impact on Aizawl’s attacking designs. However, letting Norde dictate proceedings will be akin to shooting themselves in the foot for Aizawl. Mehta has to be at his 100 percent since someone like Norde needs only one moment to prove his genius.
#4 Jayesh Rane vs Pritam Kotal
Like Mehta, Jayesh Rane is one of Khalid Jamil’s old Mumbai FC players to have linked up with the manager at Aizawl. The 24-year-old doesn’t score many goals — he has just two in 16 games — but his energy, intelligence and movement on and off the ball make him a vital cog in Aizawl’s machine. The wide midfielder links up well with the full-backs, alternating between overlapping and cutting in and often drifts into good positions centrally.
Rane could be said to have a free role in Aizawl’s setup, but should he start on the left flank, he will encounter one of the league’s most consistent full-backs in Mohun Bagan’s Pritam Kotal. Kotal has played every minute of every game this season. His defensive discipline and propensity to put in early crosses make Kotal an ideal right-back.
However, in Rane, Kotal will face a tricky customer constantly on the move. The 23-year-old will have to decide when to go on one of his forward runs so as to not expose his defence to Aizawl’s counter attacks. It will be a tasty battle between Rane and Kotal, one which could have a huge bearing on the result.
#5 Zohmingliana Ralte vs Darryl Duffy
With seven goals, Duffy is Mohun Bagan’s top scorer in the league this season. The Scot possesses good heading ability and his movements behind opposition defences have made him one of the deadliest goalscorers this season.
However, to score past Aizawl’s influential centre-back Zohmingliana Ralte will not be a cakewalk for Duffy. The defender has been a commanding presence in the Reds’ backline, helping his team to seven clean sheets this season. With Duffy’s aerial prowess, Ralte will need to bring his A-game on Saturday for Aizawl to have any chance of making their home advantage count.
These key battles will play a big part in deciding which way the result swings. While Mohun Bagan can win the title with a win tomorrow, Aizawl can keep dreaming if they stop their more illustrious opponents from winning. It will all come down to 90 minutes of football in the heights of Aizawl to determine who finishes atop the Indian football ladder this season.
