ISL: Bagan wins derby, opens eight-point lead | football news

Kolkata: This was the second time in the week that Hijazi Maher erred. Against Mumbai City FC on Monday, it had come late in the match. With East Bengal adopting a high line in Saturday’s derby, it came in the second minute when the central defender was out of position and failed to stop Ashish Rai’s lob. Jamie Maclaren did not need a second invitation and scored at Prabsukhan Gill’s near post.

The 1-0 win took Mohun Bagan Super Giant on 35 points after 15 rounds and kept their unbeaten record intact against East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL). Mohun Bagan are eight clear at the top, the gap between them and Bengaluru FC widening after Mohammedan Sporting won 1-0 through Mirjalol Kasimov’s stunning free-kick earlier on Saturday.

Down to 10 after 64 minutes when Souvik Chakraborty got his second booking, for East Bengal it was more of the same: individual mistakes and lacking sharpness in front.

Decisions from referee Venkatesh R, judged best in the business in India last term, didn’t help East Bengal either.

Chakraborty’s first booking, for a foul on Lalengmawia Ralte, was contentious and the first half in Guwahati ended with East Bengal looking like they were denied a penalty. A shot from PV Vishnu hit Ralte’s hand which was away from his body. East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon said he had no doubt that it was a penalty. It wasn’t the first time this term that East Bengal were not on the right side of what could have been a game-changing decision.

The best chances came early. Vishnu and David Lalhlansana found Cleiton Silva who delayed just so and Tom Aldred managed an interception in the seventh minute. Silva, 37, has been a shadow of the player who got 12 goals in 2022-23 this term. In the 21st minute, Manvir Singh could have put the match beyond doubt after Jason Cummings and Maclaren combined to find him but Gill produced an excellent save to keep East Bengal in the game. It kept the scoreline respectable in this scrappy match but did little to stop Mohun Bagan from marching to the ISL league shield.