Saturday’s Kolkata Derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal was a thrilling contest, packed with excitement for the supporters. While Mohun Bagan dominated the opening 10 minutes, both teams missed several goal-scoring opportunities, leaving fans slightly disappointed. East Bengal gradually found their rhythm as the match progressed but failed to capitalize on their chances.
Mohun Bagan’s first notable attack came through Souvik Chakraborty, but his effort fell short. On the other side, East Bengal’s Talal took a shot from outside the box, but it missed the target. In a close call for Mohun Bagan, Liston Colaco sent a cross to Manvir Singh, who found the back of the net with a header, only for it to be ruled offside.
East Bengal’s attacking unit also created a few chances but couldn’t break through Mohun Bagan’s solid defense, especially with goalkeeper Vishal Kaith’s strong performance. Clayton Silva of East Bengal had a golden opportunity to score but failed to convert.
The most pivotal moment of the match came in the 41st minute of the first half when Jamie Maclaren latched onto a cross from Manvir Singh and slotted the ball into the net, giving Mohun Bagan a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, East Bengal made substitutions, bringing on Jasin and Chhangte for Nandkumar and Rakip. However, the team continued to struggle, playing disjointed football. In the 80th minute, Mohun Bagan was awarded a penalty after East Bengal goalkeeper Prabhsukhan fouled Petratos inside the box. Dimitri Petratos calmly converted the penalty to extend Mohun Bagan’s lead to 2-0.
Despite substituting Clayton Silva for Diamantakos in the final minutes, East Bengal failed to mount a serious comeback. Mohun Bagan held on to their lead and secured a 2-0 victory, dominating the Kolkata Derby and leaving East Bengal fans disappointed.