ISL 2024-25: Mohun Bagan wins second successive Shield after Petratos injury-time goal

ISL 2024-25: Mohun Bagan wins second successive Shield after Petratos injury-time goal

A capacity Salt Lake Stadium exploded in wild celebrations as Dimitri Petratos fetched the winner in the third minute of added time to help Mohun Bagan Super Giant prevail over a 10-man Odisha FC by a solitary goal to clinch the Indian Super League (ISL) Shield title in a dramatic fashion here on Sunday.

Mohun Bagan created history by becoming the only side to retain the League Shield. It tallied 52 points from 22 matches to reach a state of invincibility with two matches to spare.

With the ISL Cup competition coming up next, Mohun Bagan also ensured a direct entry to the semifinals after securing the top spot. This result also earned it a berth in the continental competition – the AFC Champions League Two.

With the host held goalless by a resolute Odisha defence all through the regulation time, Petratos arrived as the super-sub in the 78th minute and performed the heroic act as he often does.

Having won the Shield with a win over Mumbai City FC in the last league match in the previous season, Mohun Bagan showed more authority with a series of superlative performances (that sank a number of records in the process) in the current season to make this conquest even more memorable.

Foremost among the records that Mariners broke on the way to their League triumph are securing the highest-ever points tally (52) and managing the most clean sheets (14) by any side in a single season in the league’s history.

Mohun Bagan found it hard to break down Odisha as the host mounted numerous attacks just to see an alert Odisha defence denying all its efforts to frustrate the home side.

The visitor’s seemingly impregnable defence was dealt a big blow in the 83rd minute when its Senegalese centre-back Mourtada Fall was sent off for a last man challenge on Jamie McLaren just outside the box. This seemed to weaken the opposition backline and Mohun Bagan utilised the advantage to keep its date with history.

Bagan kept pressing for the winner which eventually came when Petratos picked up the ball at the edge of the box and struck a left-footed curler that nestled into the bottom corner of the net.