Shillong, Feb 3 (IANS) Mohun Bagan chalked up a comprehensive 3-0 win over Shillong Lajong FC in a one-sided I-League encounter here on Saturday.

Asier Pierrick Dipanda Dicka (30th minute) put the Kolkata giants ahead in the first half before Akram Moghrabi (86th) and Shiekh Faiaz (89th) struck in the closing stages.

Mohun Bagan thus climbed a rung to the third spot in the league table, pushing arch-rivals East Bengal to fourth.

Both Kolkata giants are on 20 points from 12 matches each, but Mohun Bagan sit above their bitter rivals due to a superior goal difference.

Lajong remain fifth with 17 points from 14 matches.

Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty opted to hand Azharuddin a start on the right wing and deployed Nikhil Kadam on the opposite side.

Mohun Bagan were eager to assert their dominance and they hit the pedal right from the start, ignoring the cold evening weather.

Though Shillong Lajong tried to get to the same level, they were forced to be defensive throughout the match.

By the 20th minute, Lajong were starting to regain composure as they began to correctly anticipate their opponents’ moves. By this time, Mohun Bagan were finding it difficult to maintain ball possession.

However, Mohun Bagan broke the deadlock when a brilliant header from former Lajong star Dicka off a spectacular delivery from Cameron Watson sent the ball past Lajong goalkeeper Lachenpa straight into the back of the net.

Towards the end of the first half, Shillong Lajong came close to scoring a equaliser time and again but eventually, Mohun Bagan maintained their lead.

Shillong Lajong’s best chance in the first half came in the dying minutes of the first half when Samuel Lalmuanpuia fired a volley which would have found the back of the net had it not been put away by an acrobatic save from Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Shilton Paul.

The second half got off to a fast start as both teams headed into the game with renewed energy after the break. However, Mohun Bagan’s earlier goal had given them the confidence they needed to keep the game in their pocket.

A fast-paced second half did not help the hosts as they tried desperately to gain an equaliser which only resulted in a back and forth game with their determined opponents.

Shillong’s Ivory Coast striker Koffi could have found the back of the net but his mistimed header went astray, much to the dismay of the local supporters.

The dying minutes saw back-to-back goals from the visitors. Their Lebanese forward Moghrabi doubled the lead with a beautiful calm finish after the ball was dished out to him on a platter by Raynier Fernandes who had come in as a substitute for Watson.

Any hope by the hosts of salvaging a point was blown away three minutes later when Sheikh Faiaz scored Mohun Bagan’s third goal which was indeed the final nail in the coffin.

–IANS
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