I-league: Bagan ride luck to climb in league table

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Mumbai FC looked on course for yet another upset through their Man Friday in Friday Gbeneme, but sloppy work towards the end handed Mohun Bagan a precious 2-1 win in their I-League Round 20 encounter at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan here on Saturday.

Riding on Friday’s strike for 72 good minutes, the visitors were in the ascendancy — having thwarted Bagan’s attempts time and again.

However, Mumbai FC erred not once but twice, helping Bagan out of the woods. Striker Odafa Okolie score a brace and ensured, for the umpteenth time this season, Bagan secure full points.

With the win, Mohun Bagan now go into the month-long break having overtaken East Bengal — who lost 1-2 to Shillong Lajong FC in another game — and climbed to the second spot with 37 points.

It was an ideal start for the Mumbai outfit as they caught a depleted Bagan off-guard with their small, precise passes in the half-line region.

Saturday’s partisan crowd was then stunned when Friday earned Mumbai FC a lead with his 24th minute goal.

The Nigerian striker received Keegan Pereira’s long ball to perfection and staved off challenges from Bagan defenders Anwar Ali and Deepak Kumar before converting with a right-footer.

Buoyed by the lead and a well-functioning backline, Mumbai were gradually reaching a position from where they could further tighten the grip on their opponents.

The introduction of young Manish Bhargav (in place of Ashim Biswas, midway into the second half), however, did bolster Bagan’s attacks.

But they still did not seem threatening enough for the tourists.

Fortunately for the hosts, they were awarded with a penalty in the 73rd minute owing to Dhanachandra’s needless foul on Jewel Raja well inside the box. Odafa then did the needful to draw level.

The decider came 10 minutes before regulation time and was a gift — in the real sense of the term — to the mariners. Goalkeeper Sanjiban Das fluffed a straightforward freekick from Kingshuk Debnath, which allowed Anwar to go for a header.

Though the header seemed wayward, an unmarked Odafa rushed to the spot and slotted the ball home.

In Margao, Churchill Brothers received a major set-back to their campaign, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.