I-League 2017/18, Match 76: NEROCA FC vs Mohun Bagan, Player Ratings
Match 76 of I-League saw a crucial encounter between two teams in the running for the title as Mohun Bagan visited the highlands of Imphal to take on table toppers NEROCA FC at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Manipur.
Before this game, the home side sat on the top of the table with 31 points from their sixteen matches. Mohun Bagan, on the other hand, were in the fourth spot with 21 points from fourteen matches and had to win to stay in the title race.
Mohun Bagan clinched a five-goal thriller 3-2 as NEROCA's title hopes received a huge blow. All the five goals were scored in the first half as the lead see-sawed from one side to another.
NEROCA FC
Bishorjit Singh (5/10) - The NEROCA keeper was guilty of conceding the penalty that led to the first equalizing goal by Dipanda Dicka. He produced good saves between the sticks as Mohun Bagan kept attacking with intensity.
Ngasepan Tondonba (6/10) - Tondonba played on the left back position and was good whenever NEROCA attacked with his overlaps. His long ball inside the box led to the second goal scored by Felix Chidi.
Varney Kallon (6/10) - The skipper of the NEROCA side was always involved in the match, whether in defence or during setpieces. He did well to keep Akram Moghrabi in check and was a threat from setpieces due to his physicality.
Gouramangi Singh (4/10) - The former India international began the match in the central defence but was hurt when he collided with a Bagan player. He was substituted in the first half as Sushil Singh replaced him.
Ashok Singh (5/10) - The defender put in a decent performance against the formidable Bagan attack with good tackles and clearances from the back.
Yumnam Gopi (4.5/10) - The attacking midfielder had a poor day in the office as he struggled against the defence of Mohun Bagan. He was replaced at the start of the second half by Pritam Singh.
Vorbe Jean (5.5/10) - The midfielder tried to nullify the threat of Cameron Watson in the midfield. He was always a threat from setpieces for NEROCA as he kept the Bagan defence on their toes.
Saran Singh (6.5/10) - The attacking midfielder played primarily on the right side and provided some great through balls for the attackers. He was the de-facto setpiece taker for the home side and put in great deliveries into the box.
Aryn Williams (6.5/10) - The Australian midfielder was the controller of the game in the midfield for the NEROCA side. He distributed the ball well from the centre and found good runs from the attackers up ahead.
Subhash Singham (8.5/10) - The former Mumbai City FC man gave the home side the lead in the 16th minute with a great finish lobbing the ball over Shilton Paul. He was agile on the left wing with a lot of incisive runs and efforts on goal. He won the man of the match award.
Felix Chidi (7.5/10) - The attacker was a constant threat in the box for the Bagan side with his movement and physicality up ahead. He scored in the first half to give NEROCA the lead for the second time in the match and had a lot of shots on the goal in the second half as well.
Substitutes:
Sushil Singh (5/10) - The former Mumbai FC man came on in place of Gourmangi Singh, who received a knock and was taken off. He did well to attack from the central midfield and made good runs into the box. He was replaced in the final ten minutes when Nick Ward came on.
Pritam Singh (4.5/10) - The attacker replaced Yumnam Gopi as the NEROCA coach Gift Raikhan introduced fresh legs in the attack hoping to get an equalising goal.
Nick Ward (3.5/10) - The former Australian youth international made his debut for NEROCA when he came on in the 81st minute to replace Sushil Singh as Gift Raikhan played his final roll of the die.