Gokulam Kerala FC share spoils with Mohun Bagan

KOZHIKODE: In front of a noisy 28,400 strong home crowd, Gokulam Kerala FC held heavyweights Mohun Bagan 1-1 in their opening 12th Hero I-league fixture at the EMS Corporation Stadium Saturday.

Lalchhawnkima’s own goal in the second half cancelled out Ugandan striker Henry Kisekka’s header for Mohun Bagan in the 41st minute.

Bino George’s Gokulam Kerala FC began the match with the dependable Ghanaian Daniel Addo leading the back four and the talented Arjun Jayaraj, Brazilian Felipe Castro and Ugandan Mudde Musa part of a three-man midfield.

The forward line was led by Grenadian international Antonio German. Shibinraj started in the Gokulam goal.

Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty went in with the Cameroonian-ugandan pair of Dipanda Dicka and Henry Kisekka upfront with Egyptian Omar El Hussieny playing in the hole behind them. Youngster Pintu Mahata and Kerala’s PM Britto were to make the runs from the wings with another youngster Sourav Das in centre of midfield. The back line was led by Nigerian Eze Kingsley with the talented Arijit Bagui alongside. Lalramchulova as right back and Abhishek Ambekar as left back also returned good efforts. Sankar Roy was preferred in the Bagan goal.

Although Gokulam began with a flurry of attacks with Mudde Mussa creating an opening early, Bagan were the stronger outfit in the first quarter of an hour with the first attempt coming from Egyptian Husseiney and Ugandan Kisekka.

Hussieny latched on to a

loose ball outside the Gokulam box and glided inside for his right-footed toe-poke to beat Shibinraj and ricocheted off the near post even as Kisekka

let loose a long ranger from a favourable position sail over.