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Mohun Bagan hosted the young Indian Arrows on a historic afternoon for the Kolkata giants as they played their first I-League match at the Mohun Bagan ground.
The sides had to share the spoils as the young Indian Arrows put on a resilient defensive display in front of the packed Kolkata crowd. Asier Dipanda Dicka had put the Mariners in the lead through a penalty in the 27th minute but the Arrows got back on level terms quickly.
Rahim Ali went on a breezy run on the left wing and KP Rahul finished past Shilton Paul in the 34th minute to draw level. Arrows held on after the goal and even had a man sent off but maintained their shape and won an incredibly impressive point from a tough fixture.
Mohun Bagan made the early pressure count
Mohun Bagan began the match on a positive note constantly pressuring the young Arrows side with their incisive runs on both the wings. Sheikh Faiaz and Nikhil Kadam were operating on the flanks and were a constant source of trouble for the Indian Arrows full-backs.
Mohun Bagan had a couple of chances in the initial minutes with Ansumana Kromah and Abhishek Das coming close to scoring the opener. Even midfielder Shilton D'Silva had an open header from a cross but failed to hit the target.
Finally, the Mariners made the breakthrough with a penalty as Nikhil Kadam was brought down in the box by Arrows' Asish Rai. Dipanda Dicka scored the spot-kick twice for the home side after his initial effort was cancelled out by the referee.
Indian Arrows strike back quickly with KP Rahul
Indian Arrows looked on the back-foot for most of the first half as Mohun Bagan stepped up the pressure from the get-go on the young side.
De Matos' side, however, stayed true to their philosophy and moved the ball well around the Maidan. Jeakson Singh stood tall in the midfield and tried his best to keep the Bagan attackers at bay.
The Arrows were rewarded for their patience just seven minutes after Dicka's successful penalty as Rahim Ali went on a terrorising run down the left flank. The young winger made his way into the Bagan box and squared it in for KP Rahul who made no mistake in slotting his effort past the veteran Shilton Paul.
Amarjit Singh's sending off
Indian Arrows skipper Amarjit Singh Kiyam was sent off as he received his second yellow card for a late challenge on Bagan midfielder Raynier Fernandes in the 64th minute. The Arrows captain received his marching orders in what could be perceived as a harsh second yellow from the referee.
Mohun Bagan had started the second half with relentless pressure on the young side and kept the Arrows' defence on their toes throughout. The numerical advantage allowed Mohun Bagan to further solidify their hold on the game as the Arrows went into a defensive mode in hopes of weathering the attacking storm for the final thirty minutes of the match.
Arrows show resilience despite being a man down
After Amarjit Singh Kiyam was sent off, Mohun Bagan were in prime position to make hay of their numerical advantage. But, Luis Norton De Matos' side had different plans in store for the Mariners.
Despite the incessant pressure from the Kolkata side, Indian Arrows managed to keep them at bay from their goal. The young Blue Tigers maintained their defensive shape as Dheeraj Singh was confident between the sticks and marshalled his troops ahead.
He collected a lot of crosses from the Bagan wings and maintained his sharp reflexes to make some crucial saves. The center-backs Jitendra Singh and Anwar Ali were strong against Kromah and Dicka and were crucial in securing the point for the Arrows.
Mohun Bagan appear toothless without Sony Norde
There is no doubt that Sony Norde is perhaps one of the best players in Indian football, taking into account both the I-League and ISL. The absence of a star player of his calibre will hurt any team and Mohun Bagan are a clear indication of this phenomenon.
Mohun Bagan, despite having the likes of Ansumana Kromah and Asier Dipanda Dicka in the attack could not break the Arrows defence and only scored after a penalty was conceded by the young side. Sony Norde's incisive pace on the left wing and smart through-balls through the defence were missing for the Mariners.
Mohun Bagan lacked their usual clinical finishing touch in the final third of attack. Sanjoy Sen brought on Manandeep Singh, former Minerva Punjab forward, and he too had a couple of shots but none of those hit the target. Kromah and Dicka had chances throughout the match but the lack of finishing proved to be the undoing of the Mariners.
Mohun Bagan are still the only unbeaten side in the league but now have drawn their third game in a row. They are currently fourth on the table with a tally of 10 points from 6 matches played so far.
