Mohun Bagan hold 1-1 draw with Air India

KOLKATA: Hard days are ahead for Mohun Bagan. An ardent Bagan fan will pray that Air India coach Bimal Ghosh���s take on the green-and-maroons does not come true. But going by what they dished out on a rain-sodden Thursday, don���t get surprised if in the next summer Ghosh comes up to you and says "I told you so."
Agreed that the 1-1 draw at the Salt Lake Stadium, they were down 0-1 at half-time, enabled the three-time NFL champions open their account, but Jose Ramirez Barreto and Co failed to take anything else from this match.They looked so glaringly pathetic that at times it looked as if even a point would be at a premium.
Lack of ideas, mindless running and slow on the build-ups, nothing promised that Karim Bencherifa���s boys would give the fans something to cheer about in near future. Sounds harsh but it���s true. "We are trying very hard but somehow it���s not happening," a senior player said.
Agreed they are trying but time is running out fast. Bagan hit the road with a match at Sporting Clube de Goa on October 11. With no Baichung Bhutias, and Deepak Mondals, the going may get tougher for Bencherifa.
At half-time Bagan pulled out Lalkamal Bhowmick and Shylo Malswantluanga was brought in. Whatever chances Bagan created till then, it was mainly due to the vision of Lalkamal. Whether freeing P Lalampuiya on the left with a neat pass from the middle or laying it off for Barreto - his curling shot was acrobatically saved by Debnath - the diminutive medio was in the thick of action.
He, himself came close to scoring but his low grounder was saved by a diving Debnath. Malswantluanga,
along with the other substitute Branco, did bring some spice in the Bagan attacks.
Now, about the goals. At the stroke of half-time, Soccor Velho put the visitors ahead when he redirected a Nepolean Singh free-kick. Shilton Paul, who was at the near post, could have done better but he was also fooled as the ball skimmed past Lalampuiya before Voelho got the final touch.
The equaliser came in the 71st minute. A long clearance from the deep and Barreto headed it down to Lalampuiya. The Mizo striker waited for substitute Branco Cardozo to slip in and released it at the right time. Branco didn���t make any mistake and calmly pushed it in.