The first Kolkata derby of the Indian Super League 2024-25 season turned out to be one-sided as Mohun Bagan thrashed Mohammedan SC 3-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday. (Highlights | More Football News)
Mohammedan SC looked totally out of sorts in the first half and conceded three goals before the break. The second half saw a bit of improvement for the ISL debutants as it seemed like the Mariners had put the foot off the pedal but the score-line could not be changed.
Jamie Maclaren, starting for the first time for Mohun Bagan, showed his worth in just the eighth minute after the opening whistle. Maclaren's header to a corner was perfectly targeted to beat Mohammedan SC goalkeeper Padam Chhetri and help Mohun Bagan open their account early.
Few seconds after the half-hour mark, another header, this time from Subhasish Bose, doubled Mohun Bagan's lead. This goal also came from a set-piece and Greg Stewart was the one providing the assist from a free kick.
Six minutes later, Greg Stewart fired a top quality right-footer from the edge of the box to get Mohun Bagan their third goal. While Mohun Bagan scored thrice, Mohammedan SC could not find one shot on target for the entirety of the first half.
The second half was a little better for Mohammedan SC but they never threatened the Mohun Bagan goalpost. The Mariners, on the other hand, consistently hovered in the Mohammedan SC box. However, unlike the first half, the Mariners struggled to get the final flourish and the fourth goal of the match never came even as they came close to scoring several times.
This was the last ISL match before the international break. With the win, Mohun Bagan jumped up to the fourth place in the table while the loss pushed Mohammedan SC down to the 10th position.
