Mohun Bagan Super Giant claimed the bragging rights in the Kolkata derby on Sunday with a 3-1 win over East Bengal FC to go top of the Indian Super League (ISL) table. 

Goals from Jason Cummings, Liston Colaco and Dimitri Petratos propelled the Mariners to vital three points in the race for the League Shield but equally vital was goalkeeper Vishal Kaith's save from the penalty spot to deny Cleiton Silva an early goal and East Bengal FC an early lead in the derby. 

Antonio Habas' men never looked back after that early escape and dominated the match to extend their phenomenal record in the Kolkata derby. 

From saving Cleiton Silva’s spot kick in the opening half of the game, to saving his goalbound header from a point-blank range, Kaith was at his very best with his impeccable saves.

The goalkeeper wanted to dedicate this win to their supporters, who came in huge numbers to cheer for their mother club. 

“This win is for our fans, who are supporting us a lot. I think it’s my duty. It would be difficult for us if we concede early from Cleiton Silva’s penalty, so I had to save that,” he told indiansuperleague.com in an exclusive interview.

While quizzed about their chances of winning the ISL League Shield this year, Kaith remained optimistic and wanted his players to set their targets for their forthcoming game against Kerala Blasters FC.

“Yes, we have our chances to win the ISL League Shield this year. We are in good form; if we can continue it and give our best, then we can win it,” he said.

“Every match is important for us if we want to win the League Shield. Now, our focus is on our next match against Kerala Blasters FC,” he further added.

Vishal Kaith’s penalty save was the turning point: Subhasish Bose

Captain Subhasish Bose had words of praise for their 27-year-old custodian, Vishal Kaith, for his magnificent performance in this high-octane clash.

“I think Vishal Kaith’s penalty save was the turning point of the match. He played outstandingly against East Bengal FC,” he told indiansuperleague.com

“When we were leading the game by 3-1, he made another good save to deny Cleiton Silva’s header. If East Bengal FC managed to get the goal in that time, they would get more oxygen to generate more pressure on us,” he continued.

On the performance of the ‘Player of the Match’ award winner, Petratos, Bose stated,

“Dimitri is a quality player. He scored lots of goals last year, too. He is a very good player and one of the best players in our team, and he has confidence in himself. Recently, our coach has been using him very well, and he takes on extra workload and is doing well. I hope he will continue his performance.”

The defender explained why they had to play with a defensive approach in the second half despite taking a sustainable 3-0 lead in the first half. Speaking in context, he said,

“After the first half, our primary target was to keep the three-goal lead. Yes, we had plans to increase our lead, but unfortunately, we couldn’t.”

“They (East Bengal FC) had nothing to lose in that time; they put 4-5 players in attack while leaving a single man in the defence. So, at that time, we had no second option other than defending our lead, which was our priority. We also got a few chances on counter-attacks in the second half, but we couldn’t convert those chances,” he continued.

Bose shared his delight with at players’ efforts, who displayed their character on the pitch with their commendable performance against their arch-rivals. 

“Our players showed their character on the field. We played as a team throughout the match; we attacked together and defended together. I think this is our team, and this is the character of Mohun Bagan SG,” he opined.

“There is no difference between a 5-0 win and a 3-1 win. Our main target was to get the three important points. I think it was the last Derby for this season. I am so very happy to get the win for our fans, and our supporters are very happy, which is the biggest achievement for me,” he explained.

The left-back seemed very happy after reaching the summit of the points table following their victory against East Bengal FC. Speaking in context, he said,

“Finally, we are now at the top of the table after having played a match less. Against Kerala Blasters FC, it’s very important for us to get three points, like it was against East Bengal FC to reach the top spot,” he mentioned.

“If we want to clinch the ISL League Shield, we need to win the Kerala Blasters FC match. All the upcoming matches are very important for us,” he concluded.

Related tags:

Mohun Bagan Super Giant2023-2024 Vishal KaithSubhasish Bose