Play-by-Play: Mohun Bagan squander lead via late penalty against Club Valencia, draw 1-1 away from home in AFC Cup Qualifiers

A PRETTY UNNECESSARY handball-induced penalty goal late in the match saw Mohun Bagan squander their lead and settle for a 1-1 draw with Club Valencia in the away leg of their AFC Cup qualifying playoff tie.

Mohun Bagan, playing without prominent attackers like Sony Norde and Jeje Lalpekhlua as well as their first choice keeper Debjit Majumder, got off to a flying start against the hosts. Prabir Das sent in a precise cross that Darryl Duffy finished from close range. 

The Mariners kept hold of their lead and maintained a firm control over the game throughout the first half. Anas Edathodika was especially effective at the back, repeatedly blocking runs by Omodu. At one point, Ahmed tried a shot on target from 50 yards out, frustrated at not getting a chance to get near the MB goal.

Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan were trying hard to get a second. But the left flank seemed to be dead. They tried their best to create chances using Prabir Das on the right and long balls from the midfield, but some of the best chances fell to Balwant Singh who either shot it wide or Faisal denied him with some slick saves. It was thanks to the young keeper's performance that Valencia were just down by one goal when they got a sudden comeback opportunity towards the end of the game, against the run of play.

Young defender Subhashish Bose committed a handball inside the box, and Omodu got the equalizer from the penalty box. Moments later, Shilton Paul got caught completely off his line and Bagan would have conceded a second goal had Eduardo not pulled off a goal-line save.

In the end, The match was a 1-1 draw. Although on paper an away draw with an away goal is a good result for Mohun Bagan, but the way they were held to a draw by a rather weak team like Club Valencia would have the management worried. The Federation Cup winners can consider themselves unlucky to have conceded that penalty due to individual error, but they were lucky not to go a goal down had Eduardo not saved them. 

Overall, it was a mixed trip with a rather disappointing result for the Mariners; and one will hope in the return leg at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium on 28th they will go in for the win, with a full squad, and in the presence of their head coach.

Here's how the game unfolded, narrated in detail through our real time match updates...