Mohun Bagan Super Giant faced an unexpected 0-1 defeat against Kerala Blasters FC at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) on December 27 (Wednesday). The win by the Kerala Blasters marks their first ever win over Mohun Bagan in the history of the ISL. On the other hand, this loss marks the Mariners' second consecutive home defeat following their 1-4 thrashing by FC Goa on December 23.
The early goal arrived in the ninth minute when Blasters' forward Dimitrios Diamantakos managed to score from a challenging angle with his left foot, leaving goalkeeper Vishal Kaith with little chance to save it. Kerala Blasters defended resolutely to maintain their lead throughout, denying Mohun Bagan any real chance to equalise.
Securing these three points keeps the Blasters at the top of the league table with 26 points, ahead of FC Goa's 23 points. However, Kerala have played three games more than Goa. Mohun Bagan remain in the fifth position on the table with 19 points. Here's a glimpse of the revised Points Table following today's match:
|
Club |
MP |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
|
Kerala Blasters |
12 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
17 |
10 |
7 |
26 |
|
Goa |
9 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
15 |
4 |
11 |
23 |
|
Odisha |
11 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
18 |
11 |
7 |
21 |
|
Mumbai City |
10 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
15 |
9 |
6 |
19 |
|
Mohun Bagan |
10 |
6 |
1 |
3 |
19 |
14 |
5 |
19 |
|
Chennaiyin |
11 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
15 |
19 |
-4 |
12 |
|
East Bengal |
10 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
11 |
8 |
3 |
11 |
|
NorthEast United |
11 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
12 |
17 |
-5 |
11 |
|
Bengaluru |
12 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
12 |
19 |
-7 |
11 |
|
Jamshedpur |
11 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
11 |
11 |
0 |
9 |
|
Punjab FC |
12 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
9 |
18 |
-9 |
8 |
|
Hyderabad |
11 |
0 |
4 |
7 |
5 |
19 |
-14 |
4 |
The Mariners struggled in their offensive efforts during the match, facing blocked crossing attempts and challenges in finding their intended targets. Jason Cummings encountered strong marking from Kerala Blasters' defenders, limiting his impact in the attacking third. Despite efforts from Hugo Boumous and Dimitri Petratos, breaking down the defence remained largely unsuccessful.
Diamantakos admirably stepped up in the absence of Adrian Luna. Throughout the match, he not only scored a goal but also generated a couple of scoring chances. Additionally, he contributed with a tackle, interception, and clearance each. His impactful performance from the start set the tone for the visitors, ultimately leading to their success in the game. Kerala Blasters will be delighted with this significant away victory in their final game of the year, while Mohun Bagan will need to address their temporary dip in form.