ODAFA'S RETURN BRINGS VICTORY AND RELIEF

Mohun Bagan started this match under extreme pressure. The Mariners had to win this game to keep alive their chances of survival in the I-League. They were missing their first choice goal keeper, Arindam due to an injury. They were also up against a team which was very high on confidence, after being unbeaten in 6 matches. And if that's not all, ONGC also had a spy. Their coach Santosh Kashyap, who was in charge of Mohun Bagan earlier this season, knew every detail about this Mohun Bagan team. The only hope for the Mariners, was the return of their skipper, the king cobra, Odafa Okolie. And yes, Odafa delivered and inspired Mohun Bagan to a 3-1 win.

Karim Bencharifa started this match in a 4-4-2 formation. Shilton was under the bar. The defense comprised of Nirmal Chetri(RB), Eche(CB), Aibor(CB) and Nabi(LB). Denson(CM), Manish Maithani(CM), Jewel(RM) and Snehashis(LM) started in midfield. The forward line consisted of the deadly duo of Odafa and Tolgay. Mohun Bagan started attacking from the start of the game. The first chance for the Mariners came in the 7th minute, when Odafa went one on one with the ONGC keeper, following a beautiful through ball from Denson. Odafa managed to beat the keeper, but his shot narrowly missed the near post and went out for a goal kick. The relentless attacks from the Mariners bore fruit when Tolgay gave Mohun Bagan the lead in the 10th minute. Odafa sent in a perfect chip, over the ONGC defense, Tolgay took a brilliant volley, with his left foot to score. But immediately after taking the lead, the Mariners gradually started to lose control of the midfield. Katsumi Yusa and Eric Brown started to come up with a number of threatening attacking moves, but MB's defense somehow managed to keep them at bay, till the half time whistle. Shilton Paul made a brilliant save to deny Eric, a sure goal, just before the lemon break.

Both sides tried to play attacking football from the start of the 2nd half. The Mariners were lucky in the 46th minute, when Yusa went down inside the box, but referee ignored. Television replays clearly indicated that it was a penalty. The first goal scoring chance for Mohun Bagan fell to Manish Maithani in the 60th minute, but his shot from the edge of the box, went just a whisker over the bar. In the 62nd minute, Tolgay made a brilliant run down the left wing, manged to cut inside the box, and then provided a perfect grounded cross to Jewel, who made no mistake, and doubled the lead for the home team. In the 72nd minute Odafa scored the 3rd and final goal for Mohun Bagan. In the 82nd minute former Mohun Bagan player, Surabuddin Mallick reduced the margin for ONGC.

MOHUN BAGAN 3-1 ONGC

SCORERS: Tolgay, Jewel, Odafa(MMB); Surabuddin(ONGC)

YELLOW CARD: Nirmal Chettri.