Jamshedpur FC secured a dramatic 2-1 away victory over Mohun Bagan in the first leg of their Indian Super League semifinal, with Javi Hernandez scoring a stunning stoppage-time winner.
The visitors took the lead in the 24th minute through a well-worked set piece. Muhammad Uvais’ long throw was flicked on by Stephen Eze, allowing Javier Siverio to tap in at the far post after sneaking ahead of Liston Colaco.
Mohun Bagan responded strongly and nearly equalized when Alberto Rodriguez’s powerful header struck the underside of the crossbar before bouncing off goalkeeper Albino Gomes. They finally drew level in the 38th minute when Jason Cummings was fouled by Ashutosh Mehta outside the box. The Australian forward took the free kick himself, curling a magnificent shot into the top corner from 25 yards out.
The second half saw Mohun Bagan dominate possession (73%), but Jamshedpur’s disciplined defensive organization limited the hosts to just three shots on target from 14 attempts. Pranoy Halder made a crucial interception to deny substitute Dimi Petratos what seemed a certain scoring opportunity.
Jamshedpur’s patience paid off in the 91st minute when they struck on the counter-attack. Ritwik Das drove down the left flank, beat Asish Rai, and delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Hernandez, who finished with precision to send the traveling fans into raptures.
“We played with heart,” said match-winner Hernandez afterward, while Jamshedpur coach Khalid Jamil added: “The players worked so hard.”
The result gives Jamshedpur a one-goal advantage heading into the second leg in Kolkata on April 7. However, they face selection concerns with both Mehta and Eze suspended after receiving yellow cards. Nevertheless, this performance has demonstrated that Jamil’s side can compete with the league shield winners when the return leg takes place.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.