The Kolkata giants wasted no time asserting their dominance and found the breakthrough in just the fourth minute. Sahal Abdul Samad showcased his creativity with a brilliant no-look reverse pass that split the South United defence, allowing Manvir Singh to control the ball before calmly finishing to give the hosts an early lead.

Mohun Bagan doubled their advantage six minutes later through a set-piece. Thapa floated in an inviting corner from the left and Spanish defender Alberto Rodríguez rose highest to power a header into the back of the net.

The Mariners continued to pile on the pressure and grabbed their third goal in the 19th minute. A slick passing move involving Dejan Dražić and Thapa ended with Rahul Bheke meeting the delivery with a towering header to make it 3-0. Just three minutes later, Sahal was once again at the heart of the move as he drove down the left before cutting the ball back for Manvir, who made no mistake to score his second of the evening.

Mohun Bagan headed into halftime with a commanding 4-0 lead after completely dominating the opening 45 minutes, allowing South United just a single attempt on goal.

The visitors showed greater determination after the restart and enjoyed more possession in midfield, but the Mariners remained firmly in control. The fifth goal arrived on the hour mark when Thapa delivered another dangerous corner and Manvir timed his run perfectly to head home and complete a superb hat-trick.

Despite South United’s improved display in the second half, Mohun Bagan’s defence, marshalled by captain Subhasish Bose alongside Alberto Rodríguez and Abhimeitei, comfortably dealt with every attacking move.

The sixth goal came in unfortunate fashion for the visitors in the 69th minute. Dražić whipped a dangerous cross into the six-yard box after being released by Sahal, and South United captain Noel S inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to clear.

The Mariners refused to ease off in the closing stages. Substitute Suhail Ahmad Bhat added his name to the scoresheet in the 90th minute after latching onto another perfectly weighted pass from Sahal before rounding the goalkeeper and finishing with composure.

Deep into stoppage time, Mohun Bagan capped off a memorable evening with an eighth goal. Sahal combined brilliantly with fellow substitute Sayan Banerjee, whose cutback found Suhail inside the box. The forward rifled an unstoppable strike into the roof of the net to complete the rout.

The emphatic victory further strengthens Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s position at the top of Group A and underlines their credentials as one of the favourites to lift this year’s Durand Cup. For South United FC, the defeat leaves them with plenty to improve upon as they look to keep their campaign alive in the remaining group-stage fixtures.

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The post Manvir Hat-Trick Powers Mohun Bagan to Emphatic 8-0 Victory Over South United appeared first on Football Counter.

How much have you matured as a striker in recent years?

A striker is all about the confidence and that only comes though the game time he gets. The more you get to play, the more mature you become. It’s all about your intuition, the movements inside the box, sniffing it, and eventually the finishing. I reiterate, you can only get all of that when you get to play. Otherwise, your talent and determination will always be on the bench.

What is the biggest takeaway for a striker?

I have learnt that nothing is constant. There will be days when you will score and there will be misses too. A striker needs to move on and stay focused.

Can you elaborate?

My job becomes easier when I play alongside top strikers. I just watch Sunil-bhai and try to imitate his calm in front of the goal. At the end of the day, that ice-cool head makes all the difference. That’s education for me. In a match a striker won’t get a million chances.

There will be days when you will get just one chance, or maybe a half chance. If you are able to make it count, you have done your job. I also need to mention that I look up to Roy Krishna’s calm in front of the goal. They are my heroes.

How would you describe yourself as a player – a winger, or as a striker?

At the outset, I was an out and out striker. But a player needs to be flexible. Modern-day football is not just about sticking to one position and role. I have been playing on the wings – both on the right wing and left wing in recent times. I feel that has helped me understand the dynamics of a team’s attacking philosophy. It is a plus point for any player.

Sunil has been there for so long. How do you describe his longevity?

My dad Kuldip Singh who played for PSEB as a striker and scored quite a few goals in the Federation Cup, Durand Cup and the IFA Shield besides a host of other tournaments always mentions to me to learn from Sunil-bhai the art of his longevity. In fact, he had played against him, and always tells me: “When you are seeing him from close, learn as much as you can. Sunil’s speciality is that he has been there for so long. And that is extremely hard work.”

Being around him I have already taken my baby steps. The rest is for me to sustain, and improve.

What can we expect from the next match against Afghanistan?

We need to sustain the momentum gathered in the match against Bangladesh and even in the 0-1 loss against Qatar. But everyone is aware that all of that is past. The match on 15th is a fresh canvas. We need to paint it the right manner. The coach has been constantly working with us. We need to pay him back.

CREDITS- AIFF MEDIA

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The post I try to learn from calm minds like Sunil Chhetri, Roy Krishna: Manvir Singh appeared first on Football Counter.