I-League: Mohun Bagan thump Bengaluru FC 4-1

Kolkata: Two goals from Haitian recruit Sony Norde and one each from Japanese medio Katsumi Yusa and Bikramjit Singh helped Mohun Bagan thump defending champion Bengaluru FC 4-1 in an I-League encounter here Friday.

However, it was Sunil Chhetri who gave the away side an early lead in the eighth minute of the game at the Salt Lake stadium.

With this emphatic win, Bagan climb to the second slot on the leader board with 11 points from five games, while Bengaluru is fourth having bagged 10 points from seven encounters.

After the first few minutes of the encounter being restricted to the mid-field, the Bengaluru side sprung into action.

Eugeneson Kyngdoh put in a dangerous cross in the middle, and Bagan custodian Debjit Majumder miscalculated the flight of the ball which landed in the path of Chhetri who tapped it into the net.

Jolted, Bagan stepped on the paddle and controlled the game thereafter with Norde and Cameroonian forward Pierra Boya combining well to create chances.

Bagan were rewarded for their perseverance 30 minutes into the first half as a weak pass from the Bengaulru custodian found its way to Norde who then calmly tucked it home.

A few minutes later Balwant Singh found the net rattling too, but was judged offside.

The first session ended with the scoreline reading 1-1.

After lemon time, the game was back at its pacy best but lacked the finishing touches from both sides. With 75 minutes on the clock the match seemed headed for a draw.

Norde volunteered to be Bagan's inspiration again as he and Singh combined to get the team's second goal with the Haitian tucking the ball home.

At the 85 minute mark, Yusa found the target to give Bagan a two goal cushion. A Norde ball was deflected in Yusa's path, and the Japanese found the back of the net from close range.

The final nail on the Bengaluru coffin was put by Biramjit Singh who fired in a shot from distance after being fed by Norde.