Sourav Ganguly enjoyed ATK Mohun Bagan’s Kolkata derby win: Played very well

Sourav Ganguly was in the stands as ATK Mohun Bagan won the Kolkata derby on Saturday. Boumous and Manvir Singh set up the win for the Mariners over their arch-rivals in the ISL.

Ganguly enjoyed the Kolkata derby on Saturday (Courtesy: India Today)

By Anirban Sinha Roy: ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal is one of the greatest rivalries in Indian football. Both teams are emotions of Bengal football.

On Saturday, ATK Mohun Bagan clinched the derby again as they beat East Bengal by 2-0 in the ISL 2022 at Kolkata’s iconic football stadium, the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Stadium. ATK Mohun Bagan won their fifth successive Kolkata Derby against East Bengal in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) and two more they have won in other tournaments.

This is the first-ever Kolkata derby of ISL which is organized at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan as all the other Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal matches were organized outside the City due to Covid.

When there is Derby in Kolkata, the whole city is draped in the signature colors of these two clubs. Cheers from ATK Mohun Bagan supporters reached a crescendo on Saturday night at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata after they won the derby. East Bengal last won the fixture in 2019.

Former BCCI President and Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was also seen in the stadium witnessing the derby and cheering for his team.

A few days after his tenure as BCCI President came to an end, Ganguly said that he would return to the Board of Directors at ATK Mohun Bagan.

On Saturday, he was seen enjoying the great rivalry. Before leaving the stadium, Ganguly said,

“ATK Mohun Bagan played very well. Hugo Boumous is a very good player. A very nice game. I don’t remember the last derby I watched in this stadium. Overall, the ambiance was good. I enjoyed it.”

Ganguly, during his cricketing career, played for the Mohun Bagan club for nine years. Earlier, Ganguly was associated with the ATK team.

Coming back to the match, The Mariners drew the first goal in the 56th minute. Hugo Boumous found himself open and trying his luck from range, and it paid off. The ball bounced right in front of Kamaljit Singh and landed in the back of the net.

Before East Bengal could recover, ATK Mohun Bagan got their second goal in the 65th minute through Manvir Singh.

The victory lifts ATK Mohun Bagan up to the fourth position in the ISL table. They are four points off the top with a game in hand. The Mariners will travel to the west coast to face Mumbai City FC in their next match on November 6, Sunday.

After losing the derby, East Bengal FC remains in eighth place in the table. East Bengal will host Chennaiyin FC on November 4 for their next fixture.