Mumbai matinee in Bengal

PTI

Kolkata, May 4

Bipin Singh came to haunt Mohun Bagan Super Giant once again as a gritty Mumbai City FC rode on the midfielder’s strike to secure a stunning 3-1 comeback win and grab the ISL title for a second time in front of a partisan Salt Lake Stadium crowd here today.

In front of a 62,007-strong crowd, the home side grabbed the lead with Jason Cummings’ (44th) strike at the stroke of halftime.

But the Islanders levelled things up when Jorge Pereyra Diaz (53rd) silenced the crowd from Alberto Noguera’s magnificent pass from the midfield.

Their moment of reckoning came in the 81st minute as Bipin came off the bench to score the decisive second goal to help Mumbai snatch the lead.

It was Bipin’s 90th-minute strike that had helped Mumbai City FC win their maiden title in 2020-21 when they overturned a similar 0-1 deficit to down the Mariners 2-1.

Nine minutes were added in the second half stoppage-time, giving Mohun Bagan enough time to equalise, but their forwards lacked the sting and Mumbai hammered the final nail in the coffin with a strike from subsitute Jakub Vojtus (90+7).

It also crushed Mohun Bagan’s dream of becoming the first team to defend the ISL Cup and complete a rare double of winning the League Winners Shield and the title.

Sergio Lobera-coached Mumbai City FC had achieved the rare feat in their memorable 2020-21 season.

But it was not a day for Mohun Bagan’s shrewd 66-year-old Spaniard tactician Antonio Lopez Habas, who appeared in a record fourth ISL final.

Three weeks after Mumbai failed to defend the Shield going down to the same team 1-2 at the same venue, the Petr Kratky-coached side dished out a much-improved show right from the start.

They controlled the possession and initiated a flurry of attacks with Lallianzuala Chhangte in the thick of things, and also hit the post twice in the first half-an-hour’s play.

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