ISL: Maclaren, Petratos goals show gulf between Bagan and East Bengal | Football News

Kolkata: There have been six minutes of stoppage time when some East Bengal followers have been seen rolling up an enormous banner. They knew. On the touchline, Oscar Bruzon, probably nonetheless battling jet lag, stood fingers near his chest. He knew. East Bengal have been as removed from making a match of their residence fixture in opposition to Mohun Bagan Tremendous Large within the Indian Tremendous League (ISL) as you’d anticipate for a group on the backside of the standings in opposition to one who at the moment are second.

9 occasions the arch-rivals have met within the ISL. Together with Saturday’s 2-0 win, by way of objectives late in every half from Jamie Maclaren and Dimitrios Petratos, Mohun Bagan have gained eight. East Bengal have solely a draw from 2023-24 to indicate for. There is no such thing as a different option to say this: Mohun Bagan have taken the competition out of the Kolkata derby. The innovation and trade they confirmed of their final two matches would have set a marker within the league.

This wasn’t a conflict amongst equals so East Bengal have been able to endure. Cede possession, keep compact and attempt to frustrate a aspect so wealthy in expertise that Jason Cummings got here on to kill time and Petratos stayed on the bench for 70 minutes. It didn’t work as a result of East Bengal have been all the time a step behind. In depth. In aggression, particularly in midfield. And in skill.

To Greg Stewart’s vary of passes, he had 21 last third passes however the perfect was the long-range, reverse move for Petratos that fetched the penalty the Australian transformed within the 89th minute, to Manvir Singh’s sorties, certainly one of which fetched Maclaren’s purpose within the forty first minute, and Liston Colaco’s enthusiasm, East Bengal had no reply.

David Lalhlansanga, prolific within the Kolkata league in 2023, had a baptism of fireside in his first Kolkata derby and he wasn’t the one East Bengal participant searching of his depth. They’d one shot on track. However for Prabhsukhan Gill, Mohun Bagan may have gained by many extra. East Bengal’s roster is their finest in ISL however it’s skinny on confidence after 5 successive losses.