ISL 24-25 : MohunBagan SG rally to beat Jamshedpur 2-0 in 2nd leg SF & seal final spot

 

On Monday at the Salt Lake Stadium, José Molina’s Mohun Bagan Super Giant stepped onto the pitch with just one mantra—attack from the very start. They had no other option. Trailing 1-2 in the first leg of the ISL semi-final against Jamshedpur, a win was imperative. A victory by at least one goal would push the match into penalties, while a win by a bigger margin would take them directly to the final. So, Jamie Maclaren and his team had no path but to go on the offensive. And it worked—despite the deficit from the first leg, Mohun Bagan turned things around with a 2-0 win in the second leg, sealing their spot in the ISL Cup final.

Although they launched attacks right from the opening minute, Mohun Bagan had to wait until the 51st minute for the breakthrough. Jason Cummings had a golden opportunity in the 16th minute with a shot just outside the box, but he couldn't keep it on target—it soared high over the bar. A minute later, another chance fell to him, but again, the shot went wide. Mohun Bagan kept piling on the pressure, but either Jamshedpur’s goalkeeper Albino Gomes pulled off crucial saves or their defenders managed last-ditch clearances off the line.

Throughout the match, Mohun Bagan dominated the attack but wasted a flurry of chances. Even though they won 2-0, the first half saw multiple missed opportunities. While some credit goes to Jamshedpur’s defense, much of it was down to Bagan’s own failure to convert. For a team that had comfortably won the ISL league, such a lack of finishing was hard to accept.

Early in the second half, Jamshedpur had a rare chance, but Javi Hernández’s effort went just wide—Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith had no chance of reaching it. Then, in the 51st minute, came the breakthrough. Cummings converted a penalty after Pronay Halder handled the ball inside the box, putting Mohun Bagan ahead on the night.

Yet, that wasn’t enough to secure a place in the final. The decisive moment came from Apuia in the 94th minute. Just as it seemed the game would head to extra time, the Mizo midfielder unleashed a stunning curling strike from well outside the box, sending the ball into the net and the Salt Lake crowd into a frenzy. Fireworks, colored powders, and roaring cheers lit up the green-and-maroon stands.

Mohun Bagan fans had returned from Jamshedpur battered and disappointed. But Maclaren and his team had promised they would respond on the field—and they did just that. With the league title already secured, Mohun Bagan now march into the ISL Cup final. Their opponent: Sunil Chhetri’s Bengaluru FC. The much-anticipated clash is scheduled for Saturday, possibly once again at the Salt Lake Stadium.