Unlike the trend in the ISL in the recent past, East Bengal were the team who were tipped to win this derby. The reason? They are the reigning champions of the Super Cup. They beat Mohun Bagan on their way to the trophy. Expectations were big from Carles Cuadrat and his men. On the other hand, Mohun Bagan went into the game low on morale. No signings in the winter transfer window, a new coach in Antonio Lopez Habas, and a host of injuries. The Mariners filled the stands trying to cheer the players on. Their only wish? A fight. A fight without giving up. A fight worthy of the Kolkata Derby.
Mariners, here’s your team news for the Kolkaga Derby, powered by @honda2wheelerin! 💪
— Mohun Bagan Super Giant (@mohunbagansg) February 3, 2024
Watch ISL 2023-24 LIVE on Sports 18, VH1 & JioCinema!#MBSG #JoyMohunBagan #আমরাসবুজমেরুন #ISL10 #LetsFootball #ISLonJioCinema #ISLonSports18 pic.twitter.com/9z4wwumHkF
Habas chose his first line up of the year by selecting Vishal Kaith in goal. Anwar Ali returned from injury and he started in the heart of the Bagan defense along side Hector Yuste, Brendan Hamill and Subhasish Bose. The midfield three consisted of Sahal abdul Samad, Anirudh Thapa and Deepak Tangri. Upfront were Armando Sadiku, Dimi Petratos and Kiyan Nassiri.
And so they did. The Habas-effect was in full flow. This team didn't sit back and give up hope. They kept knocking on the door, with passes and shots. And the reward came ultimately. 16th minute of the game. Hamill received the ball in an advanced position. He put in a cross into the box, hoping for someone to make a contact. And there was the Albanian striker who made no mistake. A poacher's finish to send the fans into pandemonium. Armando Sadiku, a striker who's been criticized a lot this year finally seemed to have found his footing in Indian football. He's a number 9, a pure number 9, a poacher of sorts. And he delivered. 1-1. Game on!!
The Mariners storm back in the #KolkataDerby 🔥
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) February 3, 2024
Sadiku finds the 🥅 with a superb finish 🤌
Watch #MBSGEBFC - LIVE on #JioCinema, #Sports18 & #Vh1.#ISL #ISL10 #ISLonJioCinema #ISLonSports18 #ISLonVh1 #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/R3QZbbhfPW
No side were ready to give up. End to end football at it's very best. If East Bengal came close via Cleiton and Saul Crespo, Mohun Bagan came inches close to taking the lead via Sadiku yet again. Sadiku looked hungry, a man on a mission. Granted some of his long rangers were way off target, and maybe he should have put Bagan forward too, but he showed something that he lacked under Ferrando. Under Juan, he looked cold, secluded and left out from the squad. Today, he looked like the real Armando Sadiku, a warrior, a fighter. He tried along with Dimi, Sahal and Kiyan, but the score at half time read 1-1. An end to end affair, almost breath taking. The players were giving it their all. And the fans were riding on the roller coaster of emotions that this match was providing.
All to play in the second half! 💪👊
— Mohun Bagan Super Giant (@mohunbagansg) February 3, 2024
Watch ISL 2023-24 LIVE on Sports 18, VH1 & JioCinema!#MBSG #JoyMohunBagan #আমরাসবুজমেরুন #ISL10 #LetsFootball #ISLonJioCinema #ISLonSports18 pic.twitter.com/VZoTWHByNr
Anwar Ali had to be taken out owing to injury yet again. One might feel his return was rushed. But can you really blame the team? If the whole Indian National team couldn't replace him, where would Bagan buy his replacement? Anwar going out meant it was a chance for youngster Amandeep to come on. And he looked good. He got into good crossing positions, almost making an assist for Dimi to score from at the beginning of the second half.
But as is the case so often with Indian football, disgraceful refereeing had to take the centre stage yet again. 47th minute of the game, Ajay Chhetri lunged into a horrible tackle on Brendan Hamill. In any league in any art of the world it was a straight red. But Indian football is different. Hence he escaped with a yellow. Another testament to the absolute mockery of a refereeing system that exists in India. The players can surround the referee and push him, and he'll just let these things happen.
East Bengal players tried to use all sorts of wayward tactics to slow down the pace of the game. Be it Sayan who got smacked, and quite rightfully so, for constantly bad mouthing Dimi Petratos or their forwards who kept going down at the slightest of touches. Such tactics, though not uncommon in the derby seemed unnecessary as it kept interrupting the game.
The match flew at the speed of a river, crushing one boulder after another. If East Bengal had a shot on Vishal Kaith's goal, Bagan made sure to return the favor to Prabhsukhan Gill and the East Bengal defense. The spectators were hypnotized, at times forgetting to breathe. The cheers, the jeers, the glory, the sorrow, it was an amazing testament to what football actually means. But wait, it wasn't all done. The game had still one twist to come. The hero of last season's triumphant ISL campaign for Bagan, the Aussie heart of the Mohun Bagan team, Dimi Petratos had a say in the closing stages.
86th minute of the game. Amandeep floats in a delicious cross from the right. The ball is not cleared well by the East Bengal defense. Sahal robs the ball off Nandhakumar and fires it in low into the box. The ball rebounds off an East Bengal defender, and falls to Dimi. And like always, he delivers. He thumps the ball into the net. The aggression of the shot palpable, the aura of the player recognizable even from the outskirts of Kolkata. For this is a special player, on a special night, in a special game, and he scored a special goal. He is Dimi Petratos. And he is ours.
Petratos comes in clutch for the defending champions 💥
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) February 3, 2024
The Aussie striker finds the equalizer in the #KolkataDerby.#MBSGEBFC #ISL #ISL10 #ISLonJioCinema #ISLonSports18 #ISLonVh1 #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/Jd8Htc6fmK
The ebb and flow nature of this game continued till the end. East Bengal looked to score from a corner, but it was thwarted away for a Mohun Bagan counter that resulted in a corner for Bagan. The attacking spree continued with no team dominating the proceedings. And this is how it should be. A Kolkata Derby is a match between two teams of similar strength, it's a visual spectacle. It's special because no one wants to give up. And the players truly delivered. The game didn't need to end, for it felt like eternal bliss. A crowd upwards of 58K truly got their money's worth. A paring contest, a match of wills.
We fight until the last minute to snatch a point! Onwards and upwards! 💪
— Mohun Bagan Super Giant (@mohunbagansg) February 3, 2024
Watch ISL 2023-24 LIVE on Sports 18, VH1 & JioCinema!#MBSG #JoyMohunBagan #আমরাসবুজমেরুন #ISL10 #LetsFootball #ISLonJioCinema #ISLonSports18 pic.twitter.com/AEN7RvUBD8
The spoils were shared. The points were shared. An ode to the history of Indian football shared in the legacies of these two great clubs. Franchises come and shut down, players come and go. The clubs remain. A match that will surely go down in the history of the Kolkata Derby.
3rd February, 2024. Remember the date. Kolkata football can die. It's the fire that has kept Indian Football's dwindling lamp alive. And long may that continue.