The much-awaited derby of the Calcutta Football League premier division ended in disappointment as Mohun Bagan Super Giant failed to turn up for the match scheduled at the Naihati Stadium on Thursday.
With its traditional rival Emami East Bengal reaching ahead of the 2 pm kickoff time, match officials waited for the stipulated period of one hour before declaring Mohun Bagan absent.
This means that East Bengal will be awarded the full quota of points by the organiser - the Indian Football Association - thereby enabling it to become the runner-up. Mohammedan Sporting has already been declared the champion.
Having skipped the previous few seasons, Mohun Bagan SG fielded its second team this season and managed to win seven and draw three to tally 24 points from 13 outings.
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In the process, Mohun Bagan fell out of the championship race losing three matches and remained at the bottom of the super-six table.
On the other hand, East Bengal, which is also fielding its developmental side, had a comparatively better outing and collected 36 points from 15 matches. The points it will gain from Thursday’s ‘walk-over’ will help East Bengal secure the runner-up spot.
Mohun Bagan had previously appealed to the IFA to postpone the ‘derby’ to December 28 citing its engagements in the Indian Super League and the AFC Cup. But the governing body of the sport in the state refused to accept Mohun Bagan’s plea and decided to go ahead with the scheduled fixture.
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