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Amidst a roaring Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Stadium, stakes reaching the ceiling, and tensions flaring all through the sidelines, the virtual ISL 2023-24 League Shield decider yearned for a whiff of calmness. Cold-blooded with his precision, Dimitrios Petratos' two assists provided the deciding factor in Mohun Bagan Super Giant's 2-1 victory over Mumbai City FC.
Liston Colaco and Jason Cummings stabbed home the two goals for the Mariners in either half, leading Mohun Bagan to their maiden Shield victory. Although Lallianzuala Chhangte's late strike kept the Islanders pushing till the final whistle, ultimately their late burst wasn't enough to cut down the deficit.
Building up to the fixture, Antonio Lopez Habas opted for just a single switch to his starting lineup from the previous fixture, with Colaco returning to the fray in place of Amandeep. Meanwhile, for the Islanders, Bipin Singh replaced the suspended Vikram Pratap Singh.
With the stadium brimming with home supporters, Mohun Bagan's every touch of the ball was greeted with a deafening roar. Hence, Yoell van Nieff's leisurely gait on the way to take the first corner of the night crystallized the Petr Kratky-coached outfit's intent to break any possible rhythm that hosts would adapt to.
The aimless sparring during the initial exchanges played well for Mumbai, who needed to see out a draw to claim the league shield. Meanwhile, Subhasish Bose was the first player to get into the referee's books when he saw a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Lallianzuala Chhangte. But as Mumbai grew comfortable, there was a heart-stopping warning sign in the 19th minute when Mohun Bagan struck the post. Anirudh Thapa's looping right-booted cross into the penalty area was met with a diving header from Liston Colaco that crushed into the upright.
Liston looked lively and Mumbai were slightly jumpy. A moment of composure was the need of the hour, and Dimitri Petratos provided just that when he pulled off an incredible outside-of-the-boot pass for Colaco in the 28th minute. The former FC Goa winger, facing Mehtab Singh inside the box, switched to his dancing shoes to out-maneuver the defender before his vicious effort nestled into the net. Almost simultaneously the stadium erupted in unison and the visitors were left shellshocked.
But the Islanders ooze with winning pedigree and aren't strangers to stitching together a response. The first effort of quality came from the away outfit in the 36th minute when Yoell van Nieff tested Vishal Kaith's diving skills with a long-range effort. But it was at the brink of half-time when the Islanders came agonizingly close to restoring.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz, who shifted wide to create space, drilled in a low cross from the right past Subhasish. Chhangte meandered into the penalty area unmarked and all he needed was a touch of substance. But his miscued effort flew across the face of the goal, leaving Mumbai with a daunting task after the break.
Jason Cummings' late strike secures the ISL 2023-24 League Shield for Mohun Bagan SG
For Mumbai City, matters had simplified after conceding the goal in the first half - finding the back of the net. Expectedly, they started the second half on the front foot, and Bipin Singh received the opposition penalty area before his attempt to send the ball into the middle was thwarted away by an MBSG defensive body.
Still trailing, Kratky replaced Tiri, who had suffered a head injury earlier in the half, with forward Jakub Vojtus. When the brief spell with an extra attacker didn't reap benefits, more fresh legs were introduced through Valpuia and Jayesh Rane. Meanwhile, the Green and Maroon Brigade brought on Deepak Tangri, Brendan Hamill, and Jason Cummings.
The Australian forward often looked clumsy after being brought on but when Petratos fed Cummings with an inch-perfect crossfield ball from a counter, the 28-year-old sank the Mumbai hearts with an exquisite finish into the bottom corner. The entire Mohun Bagan team raced toward the crowd and the euphoria had consumed every being inside the stadium, except those dawning the Mumbai blues.
But a straightforward finale wasn't on the cards, as Chhangte struck in the 89th minute to keep the Mumbai dugout hopeful. With eight long-drawn-out additional minutes awarded, an air of chaos enveloped the tie as cards were shown aplenty. Brendan Hamill, without many realizing, was shown a red card and for the final few minutes, Mohun Bagan were down a man. But when there's one hand already on the trophy, it's a mammoth task to snatch away the elusive possession.
As the referee blew the final whistle, the pitch flooded with Mohun Bagan jerseys, and without taking a moment to reflect on their despair, MCFC staff raced down the touchlines. The Kolkata Giants had once again etched their names as the crowned champions of the land, as they reigned supreme on the standings with 48 points.
