Mohun Bagan Super Giant are in top form, in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL), leading the table with 43 points from 19 games. Second-placed Jamshedpur FC have 34 points from 18 games. The Mariners will aim to extend their lead when they take on Punjab FC later today, at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
Punjab FC started the season well but lost momentum before making a comeback in recent matches. They are currently ninth in the table with 23 points from 17 games. However, history is not on their side. Mohun Bagan has won all five previous meetings against Punjab across competitions. Their most recent victory was a 3-1 comeback win, in the reverse fixture, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Head-to-Head and Current form
The task will be tough for Punjab, especially considering Bagan’s dominant home form. The Mariners are unbeaten at home this season, winning eight of their nine matches and drawing one. They have scored 20 goals while conceding just six in these games. Confidence in the Bagan camp is high, as they come into this match after thrashing one of their arch-rivals, Mohammedan Sporting Club, 4-0 in their last game in Kolkata.
Despite their strong form, Bagan coach José Molina remains cautious. His team has already beaten Punjab twice this season—once in the ISL and once in the Durand Cup—but both games were hard-fought. In the Durand Cup quarter-final, Punjab led 3-2 before Jason Cummings equalised for Bagan. The Mariners eventually won 6-5 in a penalty shootout.
In the ISL reverse fixture, Punjab were leading 1-0 before Pulga Vidal received a controversial red card, a decision that upset Punjab coach Panagiotis Dilmperis and their fans. With Punjab down to 10 men, Bagan capitalised, scoring three goals in the second half to win 3-1.
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Speaking about Punjab in the pre-match press conference, Molina said: “When a team scores two goals against you from set-pieces, then it’s obvious that you should be aware of their physical strength. We will change some things tomorrow, but I think the most important thing that we should be really careful about is that most of the time, Mohun Bagan has the quality to take advantage of any situation and score goals.”
For Punjab, a win here would put them within touching distance of a top-six finish. Emphasising the importance of the match, coach Dilmperis said: “Every match for us is important from this point on. We will have to play every match like a final, and any point we can take is really important. Tomorrow’s match will be crucial like the others. We have to be focused during the entirety of the game and stick to our game plan.”
Key Players and absentees
Mohun Bagan is unbeaten in their last seven ISL matches, with five wins and two draws. Meanwhile, Punjab FC are coming off a crucial 3-2 comeback win against one of the favourites, Bengaluru FC. They will look to carry that momentum forward but they will miss Asmir Suljic, who is suspended after picking up four yellow cards.
Defender Ivan Novoselec played a key role in Punjab’s last-minute winner against Bengaluru and will be a player to watch out for. Pulga Vidal could also be an X-factor, as Bagan’s midfield and defence have struggled to contain him in past encounters.
For Mohun Bagan, a big boost for the fans is that coach Molina has confirmed star defender Alberto Rodríguez is available after missing the last game. However, he also confirmed that Tom Aldred, Apuia, and Anirudh Thapa will be unavailable.
With their absence, Dippendu Biswas is expected to partner Alberto in the center-back role, while Asish Rai and captain Subhasish Bose will play as the full-backs. In midfield, Sahal Abdul Samad and Deepak Tangri will need to step up to cover for Apuia.
However, Jason Cummings has been a standout performer in a new role, despite not playing as a traditional number nine. He was named Player of the Match in the last game against Mohammedan Sporting after providing two assists. His movement, ball delivery, and set-piece accuracy have been crucial to Bagan’s success. Speaking about him, Molina said:
“Jason is a great player, there is no doubt about that. He is doing really well, helping the team a lot. Whether he plays from the beginning or comes in from the bench, he’s doing really, really well. But we are a team. We try to be dangerous as a whole unit.”
Punjab’s coach also identified Cummings as Bagan’s biggest threat. The Australian has scored two goals and provided one assist against Punjab in four matches across all competitions. Whether he continues that form today remains to be seen, but Punjab’s defence will need to step up if they hope to take at least a point from this in-form Mohun Bagan side.
Also Read: Mohammedan Sporting Club versus Mohun Bagan: The Two Sides of Kolkata Derby