Mohun Bagan had one of their finest moments this season when they outplayed Odisha FC comfortably in their Indian Super League matches in Kolkata on Friday. The weekend crowd at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan were entertained with some fine football and a number of goals.
And among the star performer was Jamie Maclaren, who scored four goals against the hapless Odisha team.
The Mariners recorded their fourth consecutive victory to remain on top of the standings with 12 points, while Odisha FC remain ninth with two points. As expected, Maclaren was adjudged the Player of the Match after contributing to three goals in the opening half and finishing with four on the night.
Mohun Bagan head coach Sergio Lobera made four changes to his starting XI, bringing in captain Subhasish Bose and Mehtab Singh in defence, Liston Colaco in midfield and Australian Dimitri Petratos in attack. Odisha FC head coach T.G. Purushothaman made a solitary change in defence, introducing Saurabh Bhanwala in place of Saviour Gama.
Odisha threatened early from a set-piece in the third minute when center back Rohit Kumar rose to meet Lalthathanga Khawlhring’s corner but headed over from close range. Mohun Bagan responded immediately, with Liston Colaco firing just over from distance before Abhishek Singh tested Amrinder Singh with a long-range effort in the 11th minute.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 14th minute with a well-worked move. Dimitri Petratos played a clever backheel to left back Subhasish on the left flank, and the captain delivered a precise cross into the box where Jamie Maclaren rose unmarked to guide a header into the net and give Mohun Bagan a 1-0 lead.
Maclaren struck in the 24th minute to make it 2-0.
The Mariners continued to press and nearly added another when Maclaren’s effort from close range was blocked after being set up by Jason Cummings. The third goal arrived in the 42nd minute through centre-back Alberto Rodríguez, whose low left-footed strike from distance beat Odisha’s goalkeeper Amrinder Singh and rolled into the far corner.
Odisha responded immediately against the run of play. Just a minute later, Thoiba Singh launched a long ball into the Mohun Bagan penalty area, where Rahim Ali controlled it calmly to beat Mariners keeper Vishal Kaith before slotting into the empty net to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
Mohun Bagan restored their three-goal cushion in stoppage time of the first half. Colaco broke down the right and Maclaren tapped in from close and completed his hat-trick and the lead read 4-1 at interval. The second half began at a lively tempo with both sides searching for further goals. Colaco came close in the 53rd minute, his effort drifting narrowly wide after being set up by Cummings. At the other end, Isak Vanlalruatfela attempted a strike from the left side of the box but missed the target.
The Mariners added their fifth to make it 5-1 in the 88th minute.
RESULTS: Mohun Bagan Super Giant 5 (Jamie Maclaren 14’, 24’, 45’+2, 88’, Alberto Rodríguez 42’) (SOURCE: ISL)