Despite their loss to Aizawl FC earlier today, Mohun Bagan are not out of the title race yet. The Mariners did well to not lose by more than a one-goal margin. That means they could still win the title race on the season’s final day, which is the 30th of April.
Mohun Bagan’s 1–0 loss to Aizawl means they will still barely keep the head-to-head advantage over the Reds, having won the reverse fixture 3–2 at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata in early February. They also have a superior goal difference of +14 compared to Aizawl’s +10.
The Mariners next face minnows Chennai City on the final day, while Aizawl take on northeastern rivals Shillong Lajong in Meghalaya at the same time. On paper, Bagan have the easier fixture than Aizawl, and that could play to their advantage going into the season’s final few hours.
For Bagan to win the title from the position they are in, they’ll need a helping hand from Shillong Lajong. If Lajong can beat Aizawl on the final day, Bagan can lift the biggest prize in Indian football by winning against Chennai City.
Should Aizawl even draw against Lajong, the title will be theirs and anything Bagan do on the final day against Chennai City will amount to nothing. The Mariners are no longer in control of their own destiny, but stranger things have happened in football.
Final day title race scenarios
1) If Mohun Bagan win and Aizawl lose, Mohun Bagan win the title
2) If Mohun Bagan win and Aizawl draw, Aizawl win the title
3) If Mohun Bagan draw or lose, Aizawl win the title
Mohun Bagan can’t yet lose hope and must play at their optimum best against Chennai City since they still stand a chance to win the title. They have already known how difficult playing in this league has become of late — despite being the best team in the league until now, they now trail Aizawl by three points.
Much as it is difficult to digest a big game loss like the one to Aizawl, Bagan must get over their latest setback and hope fortune favours them on the final day. The Mariners have not been playing at their best of late; their loss to Aizawl was their second on the spin, having been beaten in the AFC Cup by Maziya of Maldives on Wednesday.
However, despite the euphoria setting in across Mizoram, the title race has still got its race to run. The final day will make for more engrossing viewing as more plots, sub-plots and narratives surface, and it is still a two-way battle in the 2016–17 I-League.
Mohun Bagan have a simple formula to follow to win the title from the jaws of defeat. Win their next game against Chennai City and pray Shillong Lajong beat Aizawl. But, things are definitely out of their hands now.
