ISL 2023-24: Sadiku’s brace carries Mohun Bagan SG past Kerala Blasters

Albanian forward Armando Sadiku scored twice as Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated a fighting Kerala Blasters 4-3 in an ISL thriller at the Nehru Stadium here on Wednesday.

Despite playing its last match at home just three days ago as compared to the 10-day break that the Blasters enjoyed, Bagan stayed focused and managed to come on top. The victory carried Bagan to 39 points, the same as the league leader Mumbai City, while the Blasters stay on the fifth rung with 29.

Sadiku’s opening goal had some drama to it. He had the Blasters’ centre-backs Milos Drincic and Pritam Kotal on either side as he moved towards the box from the right. But the Bagan forward suddenly gave them the slip, dashed forward and sent the ball to the left corner. Drincic made a desperate attempt to hold him back but it was too late. Bagan’s next two goals came from set pieces.

Diamantakos, who scored two of the three Blasters’ goals, is now the joint top scorer this ISL season with Odisha FC’s Roy Krishna (12 goals each).

HIGHLIGHTS – Kerala Blasters vs Mohun Bagan Super Giant

The Blasters’ opening goal was a smart one. After a series of lovely short passes, and after a one-two with K.P. Rahul, Vibin Mohanan sent in a fiery shot, finding the gap through the defence. And then came the two goals from Diamantakos which offered hope to the home side till the last second. Bagan would have won by a bigger margin but the goalkeeper Karanjit and defender Marko Leskovic came up with some smart saves towards the end.