I League 2018/19: 3 reasons why Mohun Bagan lost to East Bengal

#1 Resilient defending from East Bengal till the end

Johnny Acosta (left) and Dipanda Dicka in action

When East Bengal was leading 3-1, coupled with the numerical superiority, it was almost game over for Mohun Bagan. But the ‘Mariners’ put up a rather surprise comeback it was looking as if they were about to salvage a point from the tie. But the entire East Bengal team held their nerves till the end to register a memorable win at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday evening.

With half an hour to go, it was already curtains down for Mohun Bagan, but local talents like Sheikh Faiaz and Arijit Bagui re-kindled their hopes. Against all odds, the ‘green and maroon’ brigade was dictating terms as the game approached the 70th-minute mark.

There was an abundant supply of balls to the forwards, but the stubborn East Bengal defence stood tall. Kassim Aidara and the other players also provided the much-needed support when needed.

Borja Gomez Perez was the pick of the defenders for East Bengal. Acosta and Borja kept Mohun Bagan’s strikers in check. The duo of Henry Kisseka and Dipanda Dicka was silent for the majority of the match because they were not allowed to play their natural game. The hard work paid off for the entire team and Alejandro Menendez’s men scripted their second consecutive win in the ongoing I-League.