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The first match of the new season of the I-League began with a shocking result as four-time champions Mohun Bagan were held by a relatively young Minerva Punjab squad at their home ground in Ludhiana. While the home team impressed with their performance, the Mariners has a lot to worry about for the upcoming matches.
Let us have a look at the 5 talking points form the first match of the season:
#5 A sloppy start to the game
The start of the I-League was not up to the mark as the first quarter of the opening match witnessed sloppy football coupled with mis-passes everywhere. It was a battle for possession as both the teams looked cautious and was checking each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The home side was rather playing defensive while the Mariners tried to build up the attack for a possible opening in front of the net.
The fans present at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana were disappointed at the way the match started as the quality of football was not of the highest order. But they were happy at the end as their team earned a point by virtue of a good spell of football in the second half.
#4 Absence of Mohun Bagan's ISL bound players affected the team
Mohun Bagan lost their cream players this season as they opted for the cash-rich Indian Super League and their absence was felt during the opening tie of the new season. Strikers Jeje Lalpekhlua and Balwant spearheaded the Mohun Bagan’s attack in the past three seasons and they shared a great partnership which is one of the main reasons for the teams’ success in recent years. New recruit Dipanda Dicka is yet to gel with Ansumanah Kromah and winger Sony Norde.
Bikramjit Singh and Pronay Halder used to take control of the midfield with abundant support from former captain Katsumi Yusa. Raynier Fernandes and Shilton De Silva are relatively new to the setup and will take time to settle with the team.
#3 Minerva Punjab defence: A hard nut to crack
Minerva Punjab started defensively and kept the back line tight through the first half before conceding the first goal in the 42nd minute. Actually, they gave a pretty hard time to the visitors and managed to give minimum space to the opponents to take a shot at the goal.
Deepak Devrani was the standout performer for the home side; his physique helped him ply his trade with effectiveness. Even though he missed a sitter in the second half which could have sealed the tie, yet his hard work is laudable.
#4 Sony Norde - One man show in Bagan's forward line
Sony Norde was the only player from Mohun Bagan who lived up to the occasion. The match showed how much the Kolkata-based team banks on the talismanic footballer. Sony was the main initiator of the lion’s share of the attack. He never got the support from the other players and often made solo runs.
The winger even dropped back in the field and took the ball in the attacking half. It was due to his individual brilliance that Mohun Bagan got their only goal in the match. Receiving the ball in the midfield, Sony sprinted overtaking the defenders and pushing the ball past the goalkeeper with precision. Though he is the main architect in Bagan’s attack, the team must be more responsible for the next match to allow him to play his natural game.
#5 Minerva Punjab impress in the opening tie
Minerva Punjab will be more than happy with their performance against Mohun Bagan on Saturday. Not only did they earn a well-deserved point from a tough opponent, but they showed everyone that they have the ammunition to put any team in danger this season.
After a slow start in the first half, the hosts accelerated in the second half and created chances for themselves at regular intervals. Kassim Aidara played some quality football alongside Chencho who was swift with his movements during attacks. But the change in the second half by bringing in Lago Dagbo Bei was crucial for the home side and gave a huge boost to Minerva Punjab. Finally, in the 89th minute, Moinuddin Khan scored the equaliser from Sukhdev Singh’s assist to earn their first point this year.
