Kolkata: Two first-half goals both coming from a 21 year-old Chencho Gyeltshen drowned Mohun Bagan to their second home defeat in three games, while Minerva Punjab sailed to the top, one point clear of second placed East Bengal, having played a game less.
It seemed a revival had started when the Mariners outclassed defending champions Aizwal 2-0 at Sankarlal Chakraborty’s debut game, but a 1-2 loss to Minerva in the very next match, proves that perhaps things are far from change.
Touted to be the Bhutanese Ronaldo, Chencho’s profile has grown with each match, something that might see him in Bagan colours next season if their tactics of singing the previous season’s best stars continue. The Mariners purchased both Eze Kingsley and Dipanada Dicka from Aizwal FC last season and may very well decorate their next team full of Minerva stars.
Bagan dominated the proceedings claimed coach Chakraborty at the post-match conference but Chencho’s two moments of brilliance meant Minerva walked out the winners. The first came after he hulked over Kingsley for some space, before curling a left-footer into the top-right in the 23rd minute, while the second seven minutes later was a defence splitting pass from Ghanaian William Asiedu that send the Bhutanese clear on goal and he made no mistake giving the visitors a 2-0 lead at the half-hour mark.
Kingsley later pulled one back with a stunner at the 93rd minute but Bagan’s wastefulness in-front of goal and that includes Ansumana Kromah’s woeful penalty miss in the 58th minute, deemed the equaliser inconclusive.
It was the Mariners however who started well as Minerva failed to stitch a pass together in the opening few minutes while the combination of Dicka and Kromah began things positively up-front earning Bagan three corners in the opening 10 minutes. But Kamalpreet Singh’s shot that sailed wide above the bar got the visitors into a mood that seemed to have no stopping.
Having scored the first goal in the 23rd minute with a beautiful curled- shot amidst a little space, the Bhutanese international came close to scoring his scored three minutes later when another Asiedu through send him clear. But Bagan custodian Shibinraj Kunniyil stopped it beforehand.
The miss proved inevitable as Gyeltshen scored within the next four minutes. Bagan too had come closer but Dicka and Kromah’s continued profligacy in front of goal meant Bagan went into the break 0-2 behind.
Rakshit Dagar’s foul on Dicka nine minutes after play had resumed earned Bagan a penalty, but Kromah made a mess of it, firing a tame shot that was not difficult for Dagar to amend his mistake. The Ghanaian tried his best later but Minerva’s seven man defence made it all the more difficult for the Mariners to score until Kingsley brezzed the visitors’ goal with a 25 yard stunner, that was however too late for any comeback.
Newly recruited Watson came close seconds later but failed to find the target inches way from an open net. Much like his foreign compatriots, it was a poor performance from the Australian after an impressive debut that had coach Sankarlal Chakraborty later talking of changes required in the winter transfer window, starting just five days later.