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XtraTime Web Desk

Could Mohun Bagan have been awarded a penalty at the Yuva Bharati on Thursday? It was a fifty-fifty call. The referee could well have pointed to the spot. However, Mohun Bagan head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis, popularly known as Panos, took a sarcastic dig at the referee after the match, calling him the “best referee”. But why are Mohun Bagan wasting so many chances? The Mariners' coach admitted that there is a problem and that the team needs to work on it.

A strange similarity is emerging in the way Kolkata's two big clubs are playing. They are creating numerous chances but failing to convert them, eventually ending up with a defeat, a draw or a narrow victory. It is happening to both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Thursday was another example. A match that Mohun Bagan Super Giant should have won by five or six goals almost ended in a draw. Eventually, an Erwin goal in the dying moments rescued a narrow victory for the Mariners against Odisha FC.

The match began with a glaring miss from Erwin. Within the first 30 seconds, the Scottish striker found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper after Mohun Bagan's first attacking move, only to shoot straight at him. That was followed by a series of missed opportunities. Liston, Manvir and Erwin collectively squandered at least 10 clear chances from promising positions.

Mohun Bagan did manage to secure the victory. Drazic put the Mariners ahead twice. However, Odisha pulled one back on the first occasion following an error from Alberto. The second equaliser came when Mehtab Singh Abhishek inadvertently played the ball against an opponent. Odisha's Brazilian forward Everton capitalised on the opportunity to restore parity.

Mohun Bagan dominated the match and repeatedly opened up the opposition defence, but their players seemed unable to find the finishing touch. One might argue that such criticism is unwarranted in a match in which the team scored three goals. However, considering the overall performance and the number of chances created, there is little doubt that their finishing remains a major concern.

McLaren finally made an appearance, coming on for around 10 minutes. Mohun Bagan could face problems if he does not return to full fitness soon. East Bengal are struggling with a similar issue as well.

There is another concern for Panos's team. The midfield blocking has not been effective enough. Against stronger opponents, this weakness could prove costly. The defensive display on Thursday was also worrying. The lack of concentration at the back was difficult to understand. Unless the team addresses these problems quickly, they could continue to suffer.

Goalkeeper Vishal Kaith was once again outstanding. His teammate Alberto expressed his desire to see Vishal back in the Indian national team.

Panos also admitted that he is missing Miguel and Sahal. With both players unavailable, he has been forced to experiment with different options in the No. 10 position.

Nevertheless, the three points at the end of the day brought considerable relief to the Mohun Bagan camp.