Gokulam Kerala stuns ATK Mohun Bagan to start AFC Cup campaign with a 4-2 win
The newly crowned I-League champions, Gokulam Kerala had an astonishing start to their 2022 AFC Cup campaign as they handed ATK Mohun Bagan a 4-2 humbling in the opening encounter, and that too, at the latter’s home ground in Kolkata.
A brace from Luka Majcen and strikes from Rishad PP and Jithin MS comprised the Malabarians’ four goals, whilst Pritam Kotal and Liston Colaco were on target for ATK Mohun Bagan.
Vincenzo Alberto Annese rolled out a predictable starting XI, using his preferred 4-3-3 formation. Afghan midfielder Sharif Mukhammad, who missed the final I-League clash against Mohammedan due to a suspension, made a comeback to the team. Besides him, Aminou Bouba, Majcen, and Jourdain Fletcher comprised the Malabarians’ four foreigners.
On the other hand, Juan Ferrando went for a rather attacking starting XI using the 4-2-3-1 formation. There was a debate before the match regarding who will start between David Williams and Roy Krishna, but they both were named alongside Tiri and Joni Kauko to complete the Mariners’ quota of four foreigners.
Though the scoreline will suggest otherwise, the first half was indeed dominated by the Indian Super League team. Krishna had an early shot at goal in the 6th minute which was saved by the Gokulam Kerala custodian Rakshit Dagar, while the Fijian then squandered a brilliant opportunity only ten minutes later.
Luck was not on the Fijian goal machine’s side either, as, in the 18th minute, he fooled both Dagar and his marker with his silky footwork, but his shot struck the crossbar and stayed out. This move allowed Annese’s team to break on the counter and Fletcher pulled the trigger, but Amrinder Singh was alert in goal to avert the danger.
With his partner-in-crime Krishna squandering one opportunity after another, Williams decided to take matters into his own hands and went for glory in the 38th minute – missing the target only by a whisker. Krishna let another chance go begging just before the half-time whistle as the I-League champions did well to take a 0-0 scoreline to the break.
The second half was where magic unfolded, for Gokulam Kerala absolutely toyed around with one of the best and most intimidating teams in India. The deadlock was broken five minutes after the resumption when Thahir Zaman played a good pass for Majcen and the Slovenian striker had no problems whatsoever in beating Amrinder in goal.
However, Annese’s men had hardly stopped celebrating when the Mariners struck back. In the 53rd minute. Colaco launched a pinpoint delivery from a corner to find the head of his captain, Pritam Kotal, who then found the back of the net.
The mayhem continued as Gokulam Kerala reclaimed their one-goal cushion only four minutes after Ferrando’s team had equalized. Jamaican striker Fletcher made a darting run down the left flank before finding Rishad with a pass, and the lad from Malappuram did brilliantly to place his shot beyond Amrinder.
Luka Majcen scored a brace for Gokulam Kerala
With one came another, as Annese’s men doubled their lead in the 65th minute to send the crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium into a state of unanimous mourning. Fletcher was the chief architect once again as he played an exquisite through ball this time around, and given the form he currently is in, Majcen was never going to miss from a 1v1 situation.
It then seemed that the tie is all but over and there are no hopes of an ATK Mohun Bagan comeback, but Colaco did manage to get the crowd jumping once again with an extraordinary free-kick goal in the 80th minute.
As they needed to do with the scoreline at 3-2, Ferrando’s men threw the kitchen sink at Gokulam Kerala in the last few minutes but instead of scoring, they ended up letting in another goal. Having netted a brace, Majcen played the role of a provider this time as they played a pass for Jithin, who himself took a cue from the Slovenian’s book to beat Amrinder with ease.
Gokulam Kerala’s next match is against Maldivian club Maziya on Saturday. On the other hand, ATK Mohun Bagan will now aim for a strong comeback when they will take on Bangladeshi outfit Basundhara Kings on the same day.