Mohun Bagan secured a 1-0 victory over arch-rivals East Bengal, completing the double over them in the ongoing ISL season. Jamie McLaren’s strike in the opening minutes of the first half was the difference between the two sides. The win saw the Mariners extend their lead to eight points in the league table over the second-placed Bengaluru FC. In a candid chat with RevSportz, former East Bengal captain, Alvito D’Cunha, shared his views on the derby. Here are the excerpts:
Was it surprising to watch the derby being played in front of a sparse crowd in Guwahati?
Alvito: I feel bad for the supporters as they could not travel to Guwahati to watch the derby. The match was scheduled at the last moment, so getting train tickets was difficult for the fans. The schedule was out a long time back, so why were the dates of Gangasagar Mela not factored in by FSDL or both the teams?
If the match had to be organised in such a manner, it could have well been staged behind closed doors in the Kolkata maidan. The teams then do not have to travel and less police personnel would have been involved. We must remember the Kolkata derby is among the top 10 derbies across the world. It was shocking to see such a low turnout in the history of the derby.
The standard of refereeing has been extremely poor in the ISL. Do you think East Bengal were deprived of a penalty in the first half?
Alvito: That was a genuine penalty to me as the ball was goal bound. It was inside the box as well, so why a penalty was not awarded is baffling. No steps are being taken against poor refereeing and hence mistakes are being committed frequently.
The referees are under no pressure and are not accountable. Even Mohun Bagan should have been awarded a corner as the ball clearly crossed the line. The first yellow card received by Souvik was harsh as there was hardly any contact. The referee was close to the action, so why he repeatedly committed the mistakes is shocking. Wonder if he has a problem with his eyesight.
What according to you is the way out?
When you cannot afford VAR, then why not have foreign referees to officiate the matches? There have been instances in the past when high-voltage matches were officiated by a foreign referee. I understand that by giving opportunities to overseas match officials, you are depriving the referees in the country.
The standard of football on display in the derby was extremely poor and both teams lacked intent. Do you agree?
Alvito: When we played, there was always an urgency to come out on top in the derby. It was all about urgency. Both sides lacked that urgency. It seemed East Bengal were happy conceding the goal while Mohun Bagan was content taking the solitary lead. The two sides lacked intensity and that was very strange. For me, it was one of the worst derbies that I have watched. Mohun Bagan did not push hard to extend the lead after East Bengal were down to 10 men. One reason could be the less number of Bengali players on both sides who know the sentiments of the fans.
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Who would you blame for the goal conceded by East Bengal?
Alvito: Hector should be blamed for the goal. All he had to do was clear the ball. Hector should have covered McLaren but was beaten for pace. McLaren is a right-footed player, so Hector shouldn’t have given him any space. The same mistake was committed in the game against Mumbai City FC. I do not know why Hector was signed as he is very slow for a defender. It was poor defending from Hector and Hijazi.
How do you assess East Bengal’s performance under Oscar Bruzon in the ISL season so far?
Alvito: Oscar Bruzon did not get the full squad. Saul and Madih’s injuries, Anwar also missed, Souvik’s suspension, Hijazi was substituted. There will be ups and downs. Bruzon tried his best to bring the team back on track. I shall put the blame on Emami and club officials. Why is there no replacement for every position?
I would say lack of bench strength is hurting East Bengal each season. We have seen this season, either Souvik or Jeakson is injured, then Hector and Anwar Ali were forced to play in unfamiliar positions. You got to remember (that) ISL is a marathon league. You need to have bench strength which is clearly missing in East Bengal.
Do you reckon Mohun Bagan are the favorites now to retain the ISL League Shield?
Alvito: I do not have any doubts that Mohun Bagan will defend the ISL League Shield this season. They also have luck by their side. We saw Mohammedan Sporting upsetting Bengaluru FC. FC Goa were held to a draw by Hyderabad FC. The way Jose Molina’s side has been performing, I have absolutely no doubt that they will win the league shield. But when it comes to Super-Six stages, it will boil down to who plays better football on that day.
Also Read: A Kolkata Derby Lost in Silence: Poor Planning Leaves Fans Disappointed