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After grabbing the crucial three points from Chennaiyin FC, Jamshedpur were back on the pitch for their next challenge in the final phase of the league stage. The Men of Steel were ready to face the first opponents of the final three games of the current season, ATK Mohun Bagan. The team headed for an away game at the Fatorda Stadium to face the in-form defending champions and needed to grab the three points again to stay alive in the race for qualification.
Peter Hartley won the toss and got his side to the game underway. The game kicked in with full intensity as both teams were hungry to get the win to take away the three points. The first 20 minutes saw multiple counter-attacks from both sides as they looked determined to get the early lead over their opposition to keep the pressure on. Unfortunately for the team, none of the chances ended in the back of the net. The hosts, ATK Mohun Bagan, came with multiple attacks but a few of them were called offside by the linesman referee, thanks to the offside trap tactic by the Jamshedpur FC backline.
A close call came for Jamshedpur FC as the new signing for ATK Mohun Bagan, Lenny Rodrigues, tried to cross the ball to the forward, Roy Krishna, but TP Rehenesh was quick to come off the goal line to block the ball away and prevented it from reaching Roy Krishna. The defending champions rained in attacks as another chance came close to being a goal; David Williams entered the box from the right and pulled the trigger to score a goal right before the half-time whistle and sent the ball across which was headed right into the bottom left corner. But, the man between the sticks, TP Rehenesh, dived and deflected the ball away thus keeping the scoreboard goalless. And that’s how the first 45′ came to an end.
As the referee blew the whistle to commence the second half of the fixture, ATK Mohun Bagan went all-out attacking and came with multiple attacks from the flanks to take the lead over Jamshedpur. The fixture grew aggressive after the end of every play as both teams grew restless to score and take advantage of the other. The former golden boot winner, Nerijus Valskis, after missing the previous game against his former team, Chennaiyin FC due to injury, was back in action after getting subbed in. He was ready to get back into his previous form to score goals.
The majority of the second half was heavily dominated by the defending champions as they led all the stats as well as kept major ball possession to themselves, trying to take control over the game and capitalise on the chances. ATK Mohun Bagan almost netted in a goal as a shot by David Williams headed straight towards the goal, but TP Rehenesh kept the ball off the goalline with a confident save yet again. Just as the match entered its final 15 minutes, Jamshedpur threatened the ATK Mohun Bagan side as a cross from the left flank by Isaac went straight to Valskis in the box, who waited for the cross and leaped to connect a header straight towards the right corner. Just as it looked like the ball was going to end up in the back of the net, Arindam Bhattacharja dove to his right and pushed the ball away from the goal thus maintaining another clean sheet to his season record.
Just as the fixture seemed like it would end in a goalless draw, ATK Mohun Bagan broke the defensive deadlock of Jamshedpur FC to take a late lead in the game. David Williams with the ball saw the Fijian striker, Roy Krishna, make his run towards the Jamshedpur box and lobbed the ball to Krishna. Roy Krishna with a perfect first touch to the ball, breached the Jamshedpur box to take a shot on target as Peter Hartley ran to block the ball at the near post, but Roy Krishna placed the ball to the far post which was too far for Peter Hartley and TP Rehenesh to block away. The ball rolled into the right corner of the goal and took the defending champions to the lead. Post the late goal by ATK Mohun Bagan in the final moments of the game, Jamshedpur looked to score a late equaliser and close the game in a draw to share a point each, but they were unable to do so.
The tough fixture ended with the final score being 1-0 for ATK Mohun Bagan as Jamshedpur FC suffered a close defeat after putting up a strong defensive game.
