Kolkata, December 16: Ramirez Barreto’s Howrah Hooghly Warriors produced a spirited second-half turnaround to register a commanding 3–1 comeback victory over Jayanta Sen’s FC Medinipur at the Sailen Manna Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
FC Medinipur stunned the Warriors early in the contest. Just two minutes into the game, Sudip attempted a shot from a distance and the ball took a crucial deflection off defender Sumon Roy, which left Abhilash Paul only watching and went into the net to give FC Medinipur an early 1–0 lead.
The Warriors responded with intent and began to grow into the match. Kaustav Dutta nearly drew them level in the 14th minute when he carried the ball into the box and unleashed a shot that narrowly missed the target, passing just inches wide of the bottom corner. Howrah Hooghly continued to pressure, earning several set-piece opportunities. On the brink of half-time, Paulo was fouled in a promising area and Lama stepped up to take the free-kick, but once again the effort went wasted, leaving the Warriors down at the break despite their attacking intent.
The complexion of the match changed after the interval. In the 54th minute, Paulo was brought down inside the penalty area by Oppong while making a goal-bound run. The forward kept his composure, stepped up himself and calmly converted the kick to restore at 1–1.
The momentum shifted in favour of Howrah Hooghly Warriors within times, and just eleven minutes later they took the lead. Paulo was again at the centre of the action as he earned another penalty when the FC Medinipur keeper rushed out and fouled him. Paulo once more took responsibility and slotted on target his second penalty of the afternoon to make it 2–1.
FC Medinipur struggled to recover from the double blow, and the Warriors sealed the contest late in the game. In the 86th minute, Kaustav Dutta with a composed strike from the edge of the box, finishing off a fine move assisted by Paulo to make it 3–1.
The goal was a special moment for Kaustav Dutta, a homegrown talent and a Barretos-trained player who developed under Ramirez Barreto’s supervision during his time with the Reliance Foundation Young Champs programme.
A dominant second-half display, led by Paulo’s brace and capped by Kaustav’s clinical finish, ensured Howrah Hooghly Warriors completed a memorable comeback and walked away with all three points.
Though FC Medinipur took the lead early in the match, they lost control in the second half. Reflecting on the defeat, head coach Jayanta Sen stated that his players possess strong mentality, but emphasised that football also demands high physical strength. He pointed out that with only three to four days of training, it is difficult to match the physical intensity required at this level. However, he remained optimistic and expressed hope that, with more time and proper preparation, his team will bounce back strongly in the coming matches.
Bengal Super League 2025-26: Howrah Hooghly Warriors vs FC Medinipur highlights
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