Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Downtown Heroes Football Club (DHFC) in the opening match of the 133rd Durand Cup at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Following a disappointing start to the ongoing Calcutta Football League (CFL), this win was essential for the Mohun Bagan fans, who found some joy and confidence moving forward to the season.
A key point of discussion leading up to the match was whether the fans would see their new foreign recruit, Tom Aldred, in action. Despite arriving in Kolkata just a few days prior, the defender had participated in all the training sessions. He not only made the starting line-up, but also had the honour of captaining the Mariners on his debut.
The Green and Maroons made a solid start, but after the first 10 minutes, the defending champions started struggling with ball retention, particularly in midfield. In contrast, DHFC began to apply pressure, sending warning signals to the MBSG bench.
In the 30th minute, MBSG’s Suhail Bhat had a chance to score, but could only earn a corner from it. In the 34th minute, Snorton stunned everyone with a well-executed cut-in and shot, that fortunately for the Kolkata outfit, went just wide of the post. The first half concluded without any goals.
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The second half began with renewed energy and enthusiasm from the Mariners, with the fans cheering and singing to encourage their team as the proverbial ‘12th man’. However, both teams continued to struggle to penetrate the final third despite creating opportunities. Suhail often found himself in promising positions, but failed to make a significant impact due to a lack of support.
Finally, in the 72nd minute, Suhail broke the deadlock with a simple tap-in, scoring against a team from his home state of Kashmir. In the 80th minute, MBSG goalkeeper Zahid collided with Snorton, and new signing Dheeraj Singh came on as a substitute. In the end, Mohun Bagan successfully held on to their lead.
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