Kolkata, Aug 03: Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) overwhelmed the Bangladesh Army Football Team 4-0 in the first match of the 132nd Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) here in front of adoring home fans on Thursday.
Strikes by Liston Colaco (14’), Manvir Singh (30’), Suhail Ahmad Bhat (39”) and Hnamte (58’) ensured all three points for the home side and sent them on top of Group A. The visitors’ agony was compounded after they had to play the entire second-half with 10 men after Minhajur Abedin received marching orders at the stroke of half-time.
A colorful and vibrant opening ceremony preceded the game with the presence of Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee as Chief Guest. It was the perfect build-up to the entertainment that was going to unfold thereafter on the football pitch.
MBSG it was who penetrated early when Hnamte followed a cross-in from Manvir on the left flank. Ashraful in the Bangladesh goal intercepted just in time. Manvir then himself broke through from a cleverly taken free-kick to shoot on the turn, but Ashraful was up to it again.
Bagan finally broke through a minute before the quarter-hour mark, when off a wonderful move from the right this time, Taison Singh found the overlapping run of Ravi Rana to perfection. He made no mistake with the cross and Liston faltered once for a simple tap in.
Bangladesh Army had one feeble shot at goal in the 20th minute when Sharair Emon got at the end of a well-worked move but it nestled comfortably in goalie Anwer Shaikh’s arms.
Then Mijhajur brought down Hnamte in the box and Manvir doubled Bagan’s advantage from the spot at the half-hour mark. Suhail Ahmad Bhat tripled it when Liston drove and turned the Bangladesh defense to set up the teenager from Kashmir to execute a cool finish.
The visitor’s disappointment showed with Minajur’s second bookable infringement and Bagan were cruising at half-time.
The first goal of the second-half came in the 58th when off another set-piece Liston found Manvir on the near post and his clever back-heel was diverted in by an unmarked Hnamte standing inches away from goal. Kiyan made it five when he latched onto a rebound off Liston’s punch from the top of the box, which was parried away by Ashraful.
In the final half an hour of the game, neither of the teams could score and it was MBSG who picked up an easy win.
Match two of the 132nd Durand Cup will see the North-East derby to be played at Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium between visitors Shillong Lajong FC and the home side NorthEast United FC (NEUFC). That will be a Group D game. The kick-off is at 6.00 pm on Friday. (ANI)
