Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bangalore: Mohun Bagan picked up the point they needed to claim the 2014/15 I-League title ahead of defending champions Bengaluru FC, with the Kolkata side scoring with four minutes left to play as Sunday’s title decider ended in a 1-1 draw.
An evenly fought first half at the Sri Kanteerva Stadium ended 1-0 in favour to Bengaluru after John Johnson headed home Eugenson Lyngdoh’s 41st minute corner, with the Englishman picking a timely moment grab his first I-League goal of the season.
Shortly after Johnson then had to show a reminder of the qualities that earned him last season’s Defender of the Year award with the Bengaluru centre back clearing the ball off the line one minute into first-half stoppage time after Balwant Singh had been set up following good work from Haiti international Sony Norde.
Mohun Bagan pushed for the equaliser in the second half and as the clock ticked down it was looking more and more likely that Johnson’s goal would ensure that Bengaluru became the first team to win back-to-back titles since the I-League replaced the former National Football League in 2007.
However, in the 86th minute Nigerian Bello Rasaq connected with Norde’s corner for the equalizing goal that saw 106-year-old Mohun Bagan – who teetered on the brink of relegation last season as Bengaluru won the title in their debut I-League campaign – finish two points above the defending champions after a thrilling climax to the 2014/15 tournament.
While Mohun Bagan were celebrating their first I-League title, and their first league triumph since winning the 2001/02 NFL, Bengaluru were left to reflect on a season that offered so much but ended in disappointment with the loss of their I-League crown coming at the end of a week that also saw them knocked out of the AFC Cup following a 2-0 defeat to South China in Tuesday’s Round of 16 clash in Hong Kong.
Image: mohunbaganfc.com