Zee Bangla Football league final between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal gets abandoned after crowd interference
The final of the inaugural Zee Bangla Football League between arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal was abandoned after East Bengal fans started pelting stones following a penalty decision which was awarded against them. Mohun Bagan was leading in the U19 ‘Kolkata Derby’ which was going on at the East Bengal ground until the fans intruded in the dying minutes of the regulation.
A total of 20 teams participating in the league, with 16 teams representing the districts apart from the four Kolkata teams (Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Mohammedan Sporting Club and Aryan FC). Teams were divided into four groups, with top teams qualifying for the semi-finals. The match duration is 60 minutes divided into four quarters.
After registering convincing victories in the semi-finals, both the teams were slated to play in a high-voltage final. The galleries were almost full; it was an electrifying atmosphere at the East Bengal ground. The ‘red and gold’ brigade were leading via a spot kick in the second quarter of the match. Mohun Bagan equalised in the 47th minute by a header from Koushik.
Five minutes later, East Bengal’s goalkeeper illegally brought down a Bagan player and the referee awarded a penalty. Koushik converted to complete his brace and put his team forward with close to eight minutes left for the final whistle. But the vociferous East Bengal supporters, furious with the referee’s decision, started pelting stones on the ground.
The game was stopped for a while, with a former player urging the spectators to calm down. The police also played their part. But the referee and the match commissioner decide not to continue under these circumstances. Finally, the match was abandoned much to the despair of the thousands of Mohun Bagan fans which gathered at the stadium on a Sunday evening.