ISL Semis: Trailing 0-1 to Jamshedpur FC, Mohun Bagan seek comfort of home
Times of India | 7 April 2025
12 Kolkata: Soon after completing his press conference at the Salt Lake Stadium's designated room on Sunday, Jose Molina was asked to stay back. The reason behind it soon became clearer to him and the mediapersons. The Mohun Bagan SG's Spanish coach in tandem with his Australian striker Jamie Maclaren then welcomed five green-and-maroon supporters with roses and a VIP ticket for Monday's Indian Super League's second-leg semifinal clash with Jamshedpur FC.
These were a few of thousand-odd supporters who travelled to Jamshedpur to cheer for their team but were injured during scuffles involving the police and fans at the JRD Tata Sports Complex stadium.
Molina looked a touch bewildered when some of them touched his feet while receiving their tickets. But the Spanish coach needs inspiration from the Salt Lake Stadium's proverbial 12th man one more time to turn things around.
Khalid Jamil's Jamshedpur will enter the stadium with a 2-1 lead but the visitors face a tougher test at a stadium where Molina's Bagan are yet to taste defeat in the league this season.
"I'm confident (of advancing to the final) because it's always a pleasure to play here in front of our fans. They push us to play better and put the rivals under some pressure. Maybe the rivals don't feel comfortable (playing) here," Molina declared on the match-eve.
Will the incident in Jamshedpur act as an extra motivation for us? I don't know. First of all, this should not have happened. But we fight every day in every match for our fans. And it will be the same tomorrow," the Bagan coach added.
A close look at the first-leg defeat may give Molina an insight into how Jamshedpur toppled the League Shield winners on the back of a typical Jamil template. Obsession with possession with a passing carousel is not kind of a fancy onomatopoeia for Jamil as he rather believes in preying on the rivals swiftly and on the counter. Javi Hernandez's last-gasp winner could be a case in point.
Bagan, for a change, will now be forced to play catch up at their formidable fortress. They have done it before and are capable of carrying the day again even though Molina remains tightlipped over the availability of Manvir Singh and Apuia, who missed the first leg.
"It's only halfway. We have to just stay focused and stay calm. You know we're a very good team. We're even better at home," Maclaren pointed out.
Task will also be cut out for Jamil who is going to miss defensive mainstay Nigerian Stephen Eze and Ashutosh Mehta through suspensions.
"This is part of football. Whoever will play will be ready to give their cent per cent," Jamil said in a typical deadpan tone.
In the defensive duo's absence, veteran Pranoy Halder — who has been employed by Jamil at the centre of the backline during the playoffs — will again have a burden to bear in a bid to keep his team's hopes floating.
With the Shield-and-Cup double in sight, Bagan seek inspiration from their fans again for the turnaround and keeping the home fires burning. They start favourites but Jamil & Co. will be out there to queer the pitch for Molina's men again.