With three more wins on the trot, Mohun Bagan can break their own record of 10 consecutive I-League wins set by Karim Bencharifa’s men in 2008-09…
Mohun Bagan had a formidable 2008-09 season when they won three trophies with the squad having the perfect blend of youth and experience, with Karim Bencharifa at the helm.
They won the Federation Cup by beating Dempo SC in the final, the Super Cup by beating Churchill Brothers 2-1 and went on to lift the Kolkata Football League in their last match against arch-rivals East Bengal.
Although they missed the I-League title by a whisker, Bencharifa’s men won 10 consecutive league matches, a record that stands to date. But, the current crop of players can rewrite history if they win the next three matches against Chennai City, Aizawl, and East Bengal in the current edition of the competition.
They registered their seventh consecutive win against Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU) on Sunday evening and considering their rich vein of form, it will not be surprising if the 12-year old record is matched after the derby on March 15 and shattered six days later against Indian Arrows at the Cooperage in Mumbai.
Mohun Bagan did not have a positive start to their league campaign in 2008. They fell to Mumbai FC in their opener at home and drew against minnows Air India in the next match. Their strike force boasted of experienced players like Bhaichung Bhutia and Jose Ramirez Barreto but the lack of a quality creative midfielder was not helping their cause. Bencharifa failed to arrest their downward slide and from the first five matches his side could pick up only three points.
Similarly, Bagan did not have the best of starts this season as well. They drew against Aizawl and suffered a humiliating defeat at Churchill’s hand at home. But Kibu Vicuna has managed to find the antidote much earlier to Bencharifa, and his men have remained unbeaten since that loss in early December.
In 2008, Brazilian playmaker Marcos Perreira was signed hurriedly in October and he turned out to be a messiah for the Bagan fans. In the sixth-match, they churned out a hard-fought victory against Dempo at Margao and after that, there was no looking back. They went on to win nine more matches in succession before they were hammered 3-0 by East Bengal in the Kolkata Derby. The match marked the return of Subhash Bhowmick as the red and gold manager and the Moroccan tactician was floored by his gameplan.
Similarly, Papa Babacar Diawara’s inclusion has been instrumental for Mohun Bagan in this season. The Senegalese forward replaced a misfiring Salva Chamorro in attack and with eight goals in 10 matches, he is giving stiff competition to Fran Gonzalez and Aser Dipanda for the golden boot.
Back in 2008, after Bencharifa’s side lost the winning momentum they could not get back their mojo. They lost to Churchill and drew against Chirag United. In the final game against Mahindra United, they again faltered whereas the Red Machines convincingly outplayed Mohammedan Sporting to pocket the I-League title. There was fierce competition at the top of the table and the top three teams were separated by only three points.
But, in this season Mohun Bagan have been far more ruthless and professional in their displays. They have decimated most of their oppositions and also boast of having the meanest defence in the league having conceded just 12 goals in 14 matches. With the title almost wrapped up (need two more wins), Vicuna can focus on breaking a couple of milestones. Toppling Bencharifa’s feat might be a good start.
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