Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s relentless pursuit of the Indian Super League Shield reached a fever pitch as they demolished Bengaluru FC 4-0 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on April 11. The victory propelled Mohun Bagan to 45 points, just two behind league leaders Mumbai City FC.
The match began with Bengaluru FC enjoying the lion’s share of possession, but it was Mohun Bagan who struck first. In the 17th minute, Hector Yuste rose above the defense to volley home a rebound after his initial header hit the crossbar.
Bengaluru FC had a golden opportunity to equalize in the 40th minute when Sunil Chhetri was awarded a penalty. However, the Indian captain’s spot-kick was saved by Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya.
The second half was a one-sided affair as Mohun Bagan unleashed a flurry of goals. Manvir Singh doubled the lead in the 51st minute, tapping in a cross from Finn Joni Kauko. Three minutes later, Anirudh Thapa made it 3-0 with a clinical finish after Kauko’s shot was parried by Bengaluru FC goalkeeper Gurpreet Sandhu.
Armando Sadiku put the icing on the cake in the 59th minute, slotting home from close range after a pass from Dimitrios Petratos. Bengaluru FC’s misery was compounded by the woodwork, which denied them a consolation goal on multiple occasions.
The result was a bitter end to Bengaluru FC’s campaign, as they finished 10th out of 12 teams. It was also their joint-worst home defeat in the league, equaling the 4-0 loss to Mumbai City FC in December.
For Mohun Bagan, the victory kept their title hopes alive. They will face Mumbai City FC in a winner-takes-all clash on Monday, April 18.
