Punjab FC 0-1 Mohun Bagan SG Highlights: Petratos scores winner as MBSG beats PFC in ISL 2023-24

A story of missed chances by Punjab FC sees the team get eliminated from the playoff rice while Mohun Bagan Super Giant returned to winning ways after a loss in its previous game, against Chennaiyin FC. 

Madih Talal floats in a long ball from the right flank for Luka Majcen, who gets to it only to see the linesman raise the flag for offside. 

Mohun Bagan SG replaces Dimitri Petratos with Armando Sadiku as the Mariners hopes to end the contest with more firepower on the pitch. 

Liston Colaco gets the ball in the midfield, he keeps a defender at bay and then runs past another to shoot on target, forcing a save by Rohit Kumar.

Punjab gets a free-kick in the midfield and Talal tries to create something from the set-piece opportunity. He takes the shot, which is then cleared by the Mohun Bagan defence.

Punjab FC makes another change to introduce an Indian forward to replace Wilmar Jordan Gil. 

Tempers flaring between Talal and Subhasish after the Frenchman fouls Colaco through a harsh challenge. The referee intervenes to put the development to bed, booking both Colaco and Talal, and having a word with Subhasish.

Though Punjab FC started the second half with a defensive approach, it has done well later on to equalise the attempts the visiting side made after restart, with both teams at eight attempts each.

If Mohun Bagan can pull of a win here, with the team already ahead at the moment, it will still need Mumbai City FC to drop points to have hopes of clinching the League Winners Shield.

Manvir gets surrounded by three defenders in the right corner of the field and he eventually loses the ball. And the match stops for the second cooling break.

Though Punjab FC is finding some solace in Talal pulling strings in attack, majority of its time is being spent containing the crosses from either flank into its own box, stifling Mohun Bagan’s attempts of doubling the lead. 

Punjab looks to try and shift a few gears as Madih Talal, after having his first shot blocked from outside the box, tries a cross from the right, which lands safely into the glove of Vishal Kaith.

In: Manglenthang Kipgen, Out: Amarjit Singh Kiyam

In: Brendam Hamill, Liston Colaco, Out: Jason Cummings, Asish Rai

Majcen receives a cross from the left, sets up Gil in the box, whose shot is somehow cleared by the Mohun Bagan defence. The Mariners, somehow, still have the lead.

Punjab has its first attack in the second half, when Gil heads the ball to Majcen, who sets up Gil with a pass in the box. But the Colombian’s poor shot in the circumstances sees Punjab remain behind in this ISL clash.

The match is looking like a David versus Goliath fixture, with one side dominating possession and the other trying to hold on. If this remains the score at full-time, it would severely dent the qualification hopes of Punjab FC, into the ISL playoffs.

Punjab FC has corralled into a defensive hole, trying to stop anything and everything in its penalty box. Amarjit Kiyam, meanwhile blocks a pass from MBSG in its box.

Mohun Bagan attacks on the counter with Asish Rai crossing it for Manvir. The India international getting the ball, with two PFC defenders tracking back, fails to cross in time as the chance ends to nothing.

Mohun Bagan looks to try shots from distance to test Rohit, the PFC keeper, early on. But as the shots are saved, it goes again, taking a more organic approach this time, with Kauko pulling strings in the midfield.

The players return to the field to get the second half going. Meanwhile, Anirudh Thapa gets ready to be subbed on. He will come on for Deepak Tangri, who has lacked discipline in the first half.

Petratos’ goal separates the two sides as Mohhun Bagan SG ends the firs half in the driving seat.

Punjab FC tries to score from a set-piece and Luka Majcen finds the net. However, his attempt is flagged offside as the Slovenian was found past the danger mark when the free-kick was taken.

Subhasish Bose takes a shot from outside the box, which is blocked by Punjab but Cummings sets it up for Petratos, who finds the bottom-left corner with a rocket of a shot.

Mohun Bagan looks to stretch the PFC defence, with square passes across the park. Manvir, eventually decides to combine with Cummings to attack. The former barges into the box, passes to Cummings, who shoots off-target.

Punjab FC resumes the match, starting from the back, but the course of actions follow the way the match has progressed so far, Mohun Bagan stealing the ball to try and attack.

Punjabis looks to reply, with Gil beating Anwar with his upper body strength and shooting on target to force a good save by Kaith. 

Subhasis Bose and Kauko combine along the left flank, with the latter floating a cross for Cummings in the box. Cummings looks to be pulled down by Salah, but the appeals for a penalty fall into deaf ears of the referee.

Seconds, later, Cummings shoots from outside the box, with the ball flying just over the net.

Punjab FC has marked Jason Cummings really well around its penalty box, forcing Mohun Bagan to try the long-ball approach along the wings.

Tangri tries to dispossess Salah of the ball but gets his foot out to foul the PFC player. The referee brandishes him a yellow card, his ninth of the season. The midfielder will have to work on his discipline.

Mohun Bagan is dominating possession in this game, despite the host side having brief spells of attacking play along the flanks.

Majcen tries to get a hold on the loose ball in the midfield but Abhishek fouls him as the Slovenian goes to the ground, holding his leg.

Asish Rai tries a cross from the right, which falls for Rohit, who fails to grab it and Abhishek hooks it away. Seconds later, Subhasish tries a right-footed long-ranger, which is handled well by the Punjab FC goalie.

Punjab attacks on the counter with Majcen passing the ball to Talal, who crosses it to Ricky. But his final cross is blocked by Subhasish for a corner kick. Though Punjab fails to create any chance from the corner, Gil tries to dink the ball into the net, but his shot is contained well by Vishal Kaith.

Both the team’s playing a very heavy mid-block, which is keeping the ball in the midfield. Mohun Bagan looks cautious because of Punjab’s penchant to score against the run of play - something it did against Sunil Chhetri’s Bengaluru FC very well.

Petratos gets the ball outside the box but his shot fails to create any trouble for the host side as the ball rolls past the woodwork.

Mohun Bagan is looking to build from the back while Jordan and Majcen stay on the hunt for opportunities to attack on the counter.

Former Mohun Bagan’s coach Shankarlal Chakraborty looks to direct Punjab, his current employer, from the sidelines. He is the man in charge in the absence of Vetgetis.

Mohun Bagan starts the game with a high-press and its first shot arrives in the second minute when Petratos passes the ball to Tangri but the latter’s shot is nowhere close to the goal as the Indian international raises his hand to apologise.

The match begins at the National capital as Punjab FC looks to continue its pursuit of a top-six finish, earning promotion just last season.

The players of both sides queue up in the tunnel as they get ready for kick-off. It’s a battle between a side eyeing the Shield and the other, looking to make it to the playoffs in its debut ISL season.

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Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) would look to bounce back from its previous defeat and remain in the hunt for a top-spot finish in the Indian Super League (ISL) when it faces Punjab FC behind closed doors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.

The Mariners lost their previous match to Chennaiyin FC 2-3 at home, significantly denting its hopes of catching up with table-topper Mumbai City FC. Similarly, Odisha FC defeated Punjab FC 3-1, which has complicated matters for both these teams.

Still, with 39 points from 19 games, Mohun Bagan has a realistic chance of surpassing Mumbai City FC for the League Winners Shield title. Mohun Bagan is a force to reckon with on the road, having garnered 22 points in its away matches so far, which will keep Punjab FC on its toes in this encounter.