Author: Snehasis Mukherjee

The ISL 2024-25 season opener ended in a stalemate as Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Mumbai City FC played out a 2-2 draw at Salt Lake Stadium on Friday. After taking a two-goal lead in the first half, Bagan conceded two goals in the second. Jose Molina, as expected, went with a back-three, with Alberto Rodriguez leading the defence. However, there was only one foreigner in the defensive line, as the Bagan coach did not include Tom Aldred. Instead of Aldred, the Spaniard opted for skipper Subhasish Bose and youngster Dipendu Biswas. Asish Rai was also in the starting XI…

The 11th edition of the Indian Super League (ISL) is set to kick off tomorrow, featuring a clash between two current heavyweights, Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) and Mumbai City FC (MCFC), at Yuva Bharati Stadium in Kolkata. This highly anticipated opener is a rematch of last season’s league-shield decider and the ISL Cup final, making it a fitting start to the tournament. Head-to-Head Across all competitions, Mohun Bagan have only defeated the Islanders twice in 12 encounters. Mumbai City FC have won seven times, with three matches ending in draws. In eight ISL matches, Bagan have managed just one…

The Indian men’s football team will aim to secure their first silverware under new head coach Manolo Márquez as they face off against Syria in the ongoing Intercontinental Cup in Hyderabad today. After a disappointing goalless draw against Mauritius, the Blue Tigers now face a formidable Syrian side that defeated Mauritius 2-0. This places Syria as the favourites heading into this crucial match, with India needing a victory to claim the tournament title. Head-to-Head Historically, India have a relatively balanced record against Syria compared to other opponents. In seven encounters, both teams have won three times each, with one match…

Mohun Bagan fans were left heartbroken as their beloved team suffered a shocking defeat in the Durand Cup final at the Salt Lake Stadium yesterday. Despite taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the first half, NorthEast United staged a stunning comeback, equalising 2-2 and ultimately winning 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout. The hero of the shootout was Gurmeet Singh, who saved attempts from both Liston Colaco and Subhasish Bose, allowing the Highlanders to lift their first-ever major title. The final result left Bagan supporters stunned and disappointed, as their team failed to defend the title. However, it was not…

The stage is set at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata as Mohun Bagan Super Giant face NorthEast United in the Durand Cup final on Saturday. The Highlanders are eager to claim their first-ever major title, while the Mariners are aiming for an 18th Durand Cup victory in front of their home crowd. Head-to-Head In their last 10 meetings across all competitions, Mohun Bagan have clearly dominated NorthEast United with seven wins, two losses, and a draw. Interestingly, this will be their first clash in a Durand Cup fixture. However, in five previous away fixtures against Bagan, the Highlanders have…

Snehasis Mukherjee Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) are on the verge of clinching back-to-back Durand Cup titles as they prepare to face Northeast United in the final at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday. However, the player who has garnered the most attention from the green-and-maroon camp is not a foreigner or a World Cup star but goalkeeper Vishal Kaith. Kaith’s heroics in penalty shootouts in the quarter-final and semi-final were instrumental in securing Bagan’s place in the final. In the semi-final against Bengaluru FC, he faced off against his India teammate Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who has been the national team’s…

Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) continued their quest for a record-breaking 18th Durand Cup title by edging past Bengaluru FC (BFC) in a dramatic penalty shootout at Salt Lake Stadium. After a 2-2 draw in regulation time in the semi-final, Vishal Kaith delivered another heroic performance as MBSG triumphed 4-3 in the shootout. Though there were no tifos in the stadium, MBSG fan groups displayed banners to show their support. Jose Molina fielded his strongest possible XI, giving Dimitri Petratos a chance to shine. Lalengmawia Ralte and Anirudh Thapa were tasked with winning the midfield battles in a back-three…

Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) and Bengaluru FC (BFC) will clash for a spot in the Durand Cup final when they face off tomorrow in the second semi-final at the historic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Both sides are unbeaten in the tournament, but the Blues have shown greater dominance and cohesion compared to the Mariners as they approach this highly anticipated encounter. Journey So Far BFC Bengaluru FC topped Group B by winning all three of their matches. They secured victories against the Indian Navy (4-0), Inter Kashi (3-0), and Mohammedan SC (3-2). In the quarter-finals, they edged out…

Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) are gearing up to face Punjab FC tomorrow at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur in the third quarterfinal of the ongoing Durand Cup. The defending champions last played on August 8, as their scheduled derby against arch-rivals East Bengal was cancelled due to the ongoing unrest in Kolkata. Punjab FC, on the other hand, played their last group stage match on August 11. After a lengthy break, both teams are returning to action, with one set to lose their unbeaten streak in this tournament. Journey So Far MBSG The Kolkata giants opened their…

East Bengal Football Club (EBFC) suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Altyn Asyr FC of Turkmenistan in the preliminary stage of the inaugural AFC Champions League Two. The match began on a good note for the red-and-gold brigade, with Mohammad Rakip delivering a precise ball into the box in the third minute, but the Altyn defenders successfully kept it from reaching the goal. The intensity escalated, and the home team broke the deadlock in the seventh minute. Nandhakumar Sekar sent an excellent cross from the left flank that David Lalhlansanga headed towards goal, only to have it saved by the…