Juan Ferrando made a winning start as coach of ATK Mohun Bagan but his team thrashed NorthEast United FC 3-2 in a thrilling Hero Indian Super League game at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda on Tuesday.
Ferrando jumped ship from FC Goa to ATKMB after the Mariners let go of 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 up as VP Suhair gave North East 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 a few half chances, but Mirshad Michu’s good response in the NorthEast goal and Krishna’s incompetence kept the ball in the target and reduced the score to 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 well saved by Michu. 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 halftime breath, ATKMB decided to go up a gear and made it 2–1 shortly after Baumus resumed it to outline 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.
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 race of the game, substitute Sheriff brought NorthEast back into the game with a powerful shot from inside the box with the final minutes of the match to keep ATKMB loyal on the edge of their seats.