Kolkata, July 19: Mohun Bagan SG earned full points in their third fixture against Kalighat Milan Sangha with a 3–0 victory at the Mohun Bagan Ground on Sunday afternoon. Earlier in the day, Mohun Bagan SG’s senior team head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis arrived in Kolkata on Sunday morning and, without wasting a minute, was present at the ground to witness the match.
In this match, Bastab Roy shuffled his team with footballers from the senior squad as in the starting XI there was Vishal Kaith in goal, Rahul Bheke, Anirudh Thapa, Subhasish Bose, Sahal Abdul Samad, and many senior team players on the bench. Though the game displayed nothing different, as until the second half and almost the last quarter of the match, it remained 0–0. Suhail, Kiyan, and Sayan tried their best to break the deadlock but either missed their opportunities or were denied by Kalighat MS’s disciplined defending.
However, in the second half, the Mariners scored three goals that changed the game. Though in the 48th minute, Kalighat MS got an opportunity when a cross from the right found Samrat Duley inside the box. He headed the ball down to create a scoring chance, but Sougata Hansda’s close-range effort went wide.
The breakthrough arrived when Mohun Bagan SG built an attack from a throw ball down the left. As substitute Sandeep Malik was about to receive it, Ranijoy Roy fouled him, and awarded a penalty. From the spot, substitute Manvir Singh put Mohun Bagan SG ahead in the 73rd minute.
In the 80th minute, Mohun Bagan almost doubled their lead. From the left inside the box, Manvir Singh minus the ball for Sandeep, whose grounder shot went narrowly wide. But within two minutes, from another cut-back by Sandeep, Kiyan Nassir received the ball and laid it back for Tanmoy Ghosh, who unleashed a powerful long-range strike to make it 2–0 for Mohun Bagan SG.
In the 87th minute, from Kiyan’s corner, Dippendu netted the third and final goal for Mohun Bagan SG.
Apart from the senior team’s outing and their preparations for the Durand Cup 2026, Kalighat MS played out a brilliant game that made Mohun Bagan SG work hard for 72 long minutes. Ranjan Soren, the goalkeeper of Kalighat MS, put in a confident performance against India’s current top attacking footballers, while the entire defensive line kept them at bay until almost the last quarter of the game.
After the game, Bastab Roy expressed that, after the draw in the previous match, it was good to see the team return to winning ways. Meanwhile, Kalighat MS head coach and goalkeeper Dipanjan Ranjan Soren stated that it was a huge motivation to play against one of the best teams in India and against such pedigree players, adding that the performance would serve as a major confidence boost for the side.
With the victory, Mohun Bagan SG returned to winning ways in the CFL 2026, before kicking off their Durand campaign. While Kalighat MS, despite the defeat, earned plenty of praise for their resilient display against a star-studded Mariners side. The contest also marked Panagiotis Dilmperis’ first on-ground look at his new club as preparations continue for the upcoming Durand Cup.
CFL 2026 – Kalighat MS vs Mohun Bagan SG highlights
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