ISL 2024-25: After defending Shield, Mohun Bagan keen to finish league stage with another win

ISL 2024-25: After defending Shield, Mohun Bagan keen to finish league stage with another win

Mohun Bagan Super Giant will be looking to complete its triumphant campaign with a win in the final league outing of the Indian Super League when it hosts the second placed FC Goa at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday.

Making it one of the biggest success stories in the history of the tournament, Mohun Bagan retained the League Shield bagging a record 16 wins, which has primarily resulted from its fantastic performance at home.

The Mariners outshone every other side in the league by registering 10 wins out of its 11 appearances at the Salt Lake Stadium so far. The only time it faltered was in the inaugural match where it was held 2-2 by the reigning Cup winner Mumbai City FC.

Looking at the unbeaten home record, Mohun Bagan head coach JoseMolina said that his team would be striving for a win to prove that it rightfully deserves the title. “It will be good if we can finish with 56 (Bagan is currently on 53 points from 23 matches). We will try our best and prove to everybody that we are in the right place. That is the only thing we can do when we are playing as the champion in front of our fans,” Molina said.

This will also be the occasion for Mohun Bagan to avenge the 1-2 loss it suffered in the reverse fixture while visiting Goa last December.

Despite the sides confirming their positions on the top of the league table, both teams will have their own reasons for eyeing a win.

Goa, which is currently on 48 points from 23 matches, will be looking to cross the 50-points mark while accomplishing a league double. Moreover, the Gaurs are on a five-game-long winning streak and would be looking to take it to a proper conclusion.

On the other hand the Mariners, which have kept five consecutive clean sheets at home, would be eager to become the first team to complete six clean sheets at home in a single season.

FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez applauded the defensive organisation of Mohun Bagan while hoping that his side recalls the form that helped it beat the same opponent at home. “We are playing against a team that concedes very few chances and goals. It’s the work of their entire defensive organisation,” he said.

The two teams have played nine matches against each other so far in the ISL, with Mohun Bagan SG emerging victorious five times while FC Goa emerging the winner on three occasions. Only one match has produced a draw.

Published on Mar 07, 2025