Borja Gonzalez scored a goal in the first half for Nizam in Kochi. However, the result was not detrimental to the Yellow Army as they had already finished fifth and the match was basically a rubber. Kerala Blasters decided to start Evan Kaliuni despite his suspension. The Ukrainian will now miss the team's ISL playoff knockout match against Bengaluru FC after picking up his seventh yellow card of the season. ATK Mohun Bagan defeated their arch-rivals East Bengal 2-0 in a thrilling match between Kolkata's top football teams. The win was crucial for ATK Mohun Bagan as it secured them a top four spot and secured home advantage in the playoffs. The first half was a tight contest with both teams battling it out. However, the Mariners showed more determination in the second half and finally scored two goals in the final quarter of the game to seal the victory. "We have to be prepared because one mistake will get you punished. I think it's very important to focus on our jobs and work to limit mistakes," Ferrando said. In the Indian Super League (ISL), ATK Mohun Bagan have a strong record against East Bengal, going unbeaten in their encounters with their opponents from Kolkata. Supporters are now eagerly awaiting their upcoming playoff game in what is expected to be another exciting match at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Since 2020-21, these two teams have played each other six times in the ISL, with ATK Mohun Bagan winning all the matches and no draws between the two. ATK Mohun Bagan FC is a merger of Mohun Bagan AC and ATK FC. Mohun Bagan's dominance over East Bengal in the ISL comes at a time when both teams enjoy similar match records in other tournaments. Out of 45 matches in the I-League so far, East Bengal have won 17 and Mohun Bagan 15 while 13 have ended in draws. In 22 Federation Cups, East Bengal won eight and Mohun Bagan six while eight matches ended in draws. Out of 12 Rovers Cup matches, both teams have won four each and four have ended in draws.
Out of 160 Calcutta Football League matches, East Bengal have won 53, Mohun Bagan 47 and 60 draws. East Bengal enjoyed a great record against their archrivals in the IFA Shield. Out of 41 matches, Mohun Bagan won 21 matches while Mohun Bagan managed to win only 7 matches. It was in their hands going into the final week. Barring defeat against second-from-bottom Jamshedpur, a playoff spot was theirs. What did Odisha do? A down-and-out side that has been so bad all season has put them in a poor performance. Sample this for a stat: Jamshedpur's shots on target, eight. For Odisha? One. Not a great look for a side that really needs points. Diego Mauricio's consistent goal threat (12 goals, joint-top in the scoring charts with Clayton Silva) and Nandakumar Sekar's occasional brilliance (9/10 or 2/10, rarely anything in between) somehow kept Odisha in the playoff hunt. , watching the massive cliff dive, their form picked up in the second half of the season... but now their fate will be decided by another team. Goa is that team and boy did they do Odisha a favour. While Bengaluru continued their lead, Goa lost their lead, Marching into Kandirawa against the division's form team, FC Goa had to tune in from the start. If Shivashakti was Narayanan's opener, they were not.As the match continued, Bengaluru were pleased with the proceedings; Even when Goa drew level, they weren't fazed at all. Goa, on the other hand, cut more disappointing figures both on and off the field. Bengaluru's reactions to the controversial second suggest there is still time to attempt a comeback, but Goa are unlikely to ever mount one. They have lost six of their last eight matches as their season has slumped to a disappointing fifth place. Now, they face a knockout match away from home against Bengaluru (who have won just three of their 10 away games this season). To make it worse, they will have to do without star man Ivan Kalyusny in midfield - the Ukrainian picked up his seventh yellow card of the season (and faces suspension) in a match of zero consequence. Why he played is a question many Blasters fans still ask.
ATK Mohun Bagan beat East Bengal again, but what's the point?
The two Kolkata giants have been in the ISL for three seasons now and not once have the red and yellows managed to get half a point from a league derby. And that wasn't to change this season. Bagan won easily, a 2-0 scoreline that underlined just how big the gap was between the two.
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