Juan Ferrando made a winning start as ATK Mohun Bagan coach after beating NorthEast United FC 3-2 in a thrilling Indian Super League match on Tuesday. Ferrando jumped ship from FC Goa to ATKMB when the Mariners dropped Antonio López Habas in a dramatic turn of events last week. Dressed in an ATKMB travel polo, Ferrando looked unconcerned with the noise around him and went about his work, but was quickly shaken as VP Suhair gave NorthEast United the lead in the second minute.
Hugo Baumus (53rd, 76th) scored a brace for ATKMB after equalizing Liston Colaco (45th), but Mashur Sheriff (87th) got the Highlanders late in the game.
In the end, the Kolkata side held firm and registered their first win in four matches. ATKMB now have 11 points from seven matches. NorthEast United remain in ninth place with seven points from eight matches.
This was not the beginning of a story for Ferrando as ATKMB boss as NorthEast advanced in just the second minute. Mathias Kaurur was swimming in a delicious corner towards the nearby post where Suhair was waving his hand to go home.
Frustrated by the opening blow, ATKMB had taken the lead and should have leveled, but for Manveer Singh who fired on the bar from inside the box.
Roy Krishna then had some half chances, but Mirshad Michu’s good response in the NorthEast goal and Krishna’s inability to keep the ball on target kept the score 1-0.
For the Highlanders, veteran defender Gurjinder Kumar got injured in the 26th minute and was replaced by Tondanba Singh. Colaco forced Michu into action with a fierce effort from an angle inside the box but the keeper did well to avert the threat.
At the other end, Amarinder Singh makes a brilliant save to keep Rocharzella’s long-range try away. Colaco then entered the penalty box, but his take from an acute angle was again saved by Michu and the rebound was brilliantly blocked by Khasa Camara off Hugo Baumus.
Just when it looked like NorthEast would go into the break with a 1-0 lead, Michu kicked off a goal and the ball fell to Krishna, who swung into a delightful cross to go into the far corner for Colaco.
After a breathless half-time, ATKMB decided to change gears and made it 2–1 shortly after the restart, with Baumus outlining his intention. NorthEast United failed to clear their line for too long, which led to Subhasish Bose chopping the ball off the left byline for Baumos, outfoxing the defender with a graceful piece of skill and tapping home.
Krishna beat some defenders to take a wild swipe on goal before Carl McHugh made way for Jonny Cuckoo at the hour mark.
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Kauko was at it as the Finnish footballer played a key role in the third goal, setting up Baumus to keeper and wide into the net with a beautifully weighted pass for the latter.
Against the running of the game, substitute Sheriff brought NorthEast back into the game with a powerful shot from inside the box.
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