Mohun Bagan Super Giant have bolstered their bid for the ISL Shield title with a stellar 4-3 victory over Kerala Blasters on Wednesday (March 13).

The two teams played an absolute cracker in Kochi but in the end the Mariners prevailed as they edged past the Manjappada to keep their shield hopes intact and in a very strong position.   This win has propelled the Mariners to 39 points, putting them on par with Mumbai City FC at the top of the league standings. The match kicked off with the Mariners carrying forward their momentum from the Kolkata Derby, where they had netted three goals in the first half. Under the guidance of coach Antonio Lopez Habas, the team initiated a rapid counter-attack leading to the first goal by Albanian striker Armando Sadiku in the 4th minute. Anwar Ali's long pass found Sadiku, who skillfully bypassed Pritam Kotal to score the fastest goal the Mariners have ever netted against Kerala Blasters. It was just a solitary goal in the first half, but the game burst into life after the break. Kerala Blasters' Vibin Mohanan levelled the scores, but Sadiku netted another one soon on the hour mark. Dimitri Diamantakos again equalized in the 62nd minute, but Deepak Tangri put the Kolkata giants ahead again six minutes after the scoreline was restored. Jason Cummings then scored the telling blow in the 97th minute to put daylight between the two teams. Despite a late goal by Diamantakos for the Blasters, it wasn't enough for the home team to salvage any points from the match. The game ended with the Mariners solidifying their position at the top of the league. Sauradeep Ash Mykhel source: mykhel.com