AFC Cup: Mohun Bagan hammer 10 man South China 4-0, Norde with the miss of the season
Mohun Bagan hammered the 10 men of South China 4-0 as they picked up the second win of the group stage. Lenny Rodriguez, Sony Norde, Cornell Glen and Jeje Lalpeklhua were on the scoresheet for the Mariners, while Che Runqui was sent off early on for the hosts.
First Half
Mohun Bagan began the game like a house on fire, with Cornell Glen’s curling effort going narrowly wide. Che Runqui went into the book in the 12th minute four a foul on Yusa Katsumi, as South China struggled to deal with their Indian visitors.
Bagan took a deserved lead in the 15th minute through Lenny Rodriguez, as the Mariners pressed their early advantage from a free-kick. Yusa Katsumi stepped up and curled in a free kick, that the Hong Kong side’s keeper could only parry, with an unmarked Lenny on hand to head home from a yard out as the ball looped back down.
The situation worsened for the hosts immediately as Che Rinqui was sent of for his second yellow in as many minutes moments later. However, Bagan made their man advantage pay in the 39th minute, as Sony Norde doubled the lead with a wonderful dribbling run down the left, slotting home from a narrow angle.
The Mariners ended the tie as a contest in the 44th minute, as Cornell Glen and Sony Norde led a counter, exchanging passes as the charged up the pitch, with Glen getting on the scoresheet after Norde’s excellent square ball left him with just a tap in.
Second Half
The Mariners began the second half in a relaxed manner, but the level of their complacency was quite staggeringly exemplified by Sony Norde’s incredible miss in the 62nd minute. Glen sent Jeje through with an exquisite through ball, but Kit made an excellent block, although the ball fell for an onrushing Norde to slot into an open net, but the Bagan winger incredibly missed – probably the miss of the season.
Yusa Katsumi and Sony Norde went close for the visitors as they looked to increase the scoreline, but the South China keeper managed to save Norde’s effort while Katsumi shot wide when he ought to have passed. South China had their best chance of the game in the 74th minute, but Debjit was equal to the effort.
Jeje Lalpekhlua made it 4-0 in the 83rd minute, as the Indian striker headed home an excellent deliver from Katsumi’s free-kick on the right into the bottom corner.
As the referee blew the final whistle, Mohun Bagan celebrated a convincing victory, while South China had very few positives from the game.