On cusp of I-League football title glory, Mohun Bagan face tricky Bengaluru test

BENGALURU: A determined Mohun Bagan will be gunning for glory as they are only a point shy of winning their maiden I-League football title when they take on defending champions Bengaluru FC in what promises to be a pulsating finale to the marathon tourney.

A tournament victory has eluded green-and-maroon brigade for the past 13 years as they last won the league during the NFL days, back in 2001-02 season.

Call it irony, 13 years ago on that fateful evening in Goa, Bagan needed a win in order to seal the trophy and a second half header from Nigerian Saliu got them the trophy.

It was a tournament where one of Bagan's legends Jose Ramirez Barreto single-handedly carried the team with a bit of assistance from the likes of Basudeb Mondal, Debjit Ghosh, RP Singh and RC Prakash to name a few.

Even during the past decade when Mohun Bagan flattered to deceive its millions of supporters across India, they have stuck by the team like loyalists and it is now payback time for the Shilton Pauls and the Pritam Kotals.

The current team under little-known Sanjay Sen has shown that they have it in them to win the title.

Whether national captain Sunil Chhetri, who would be eager to play a party pooper on 'Super Sunday' or chief coach of the Indian football team Stephen Constantine, everyone has admitted that this edition of I-league has been one of the most exciting ones which has gone right down to the wire.

While Bagan need a draw to reach 39 points and clinch the title, the defending champions require to win their final match in order to retain the trophy.

Bengaluru do not have happy memories of their away encounter against Bagan, where they were whipped 1-4 in Kolkata.

However, the scenario is completely different this time around as the Kolkata giants, with the burden of expectations, have lot more to lose than the two-year-old club, which has done remarkably well under young coach Ashley Westwood.