Australia striker Jamie Maclaren scored a brace as Mohun Bagan defeated Chennaiyin FC 2-0 in their AIFF Super Cup opener in Saturday. The first half of the clash turned into a slippery challenge as the rain Gods decided to be merciless, testing both sides' balance and control. But Mohun Bagan held the defence line comfortably through Thomas Aldred, Alberto Rodríguez, and Mehtab Singh, while Apuia and Anirudh Thapa pulled the strings in the midfield, attempting to stretch the Chennaiyin defenders and create openings.
Chennaiyin, for their part, stayed firm on the defensive line, only looking for a strike past the Green and Maroon jerseys. While Dinpuia embodied his team's ethics, tirelessly working his way in the midfield and allowing his team to sustain pressure forward, Liston's clever back-heeled pass threaded Mohun Bagan to open the scoreline through a Maclaren snapshot in the 38th minute.
Late in the half, Chennaiyin pushed for an equaliser, but Lalrinliana Hnamte's effort and an added-time free-kick.
The second half kicked off at a higher pace as the rain eased, letting both teams play with a faster tempo.
The Marina Machans earned an early 46th-minute free-kick after Alberto obstructed a Chennaiyin run and drew a yellow card, but the attempt lacked precision. As the rhythm rose and flank exchanges grew fiercer, a 56th-minute cross from Jiteshwor found Irfan, whose header collided with Aldred, leaving both players grounded.
Mohun Bagan then went on to double the lead through Maclaren again in the 67th minute when a Manvir cross from the left found the Australian in close range to sweep it home. Three minutes later, Thapa almost made it three, but his left-footed shot drifted wide of the post.
With the two-goal cushion, the Mariners tightened their grip on the game and created a series of chances through exchanges between Manvir and Liston.
The last quarter of the second half saw more chances, but the alert Chennaiyin backline and Mohammad Nawaz's goalkeeping denied the opportunities. Meanwhile, the midfield duo of Lalengmawia Ralte and Deepak Tangri dictated the flow and cut out the Chennaiyin attempts to build attacks. Late chances also came from Jason Cummings and Liston, but they failed to increase the tally.
East Bengal draw 2-2 against Dempo
A profligate East Bengal were left to rue their missed chances as they were held to a dramatic 2-2 draw by a resilient Dempo SC in their opening Group A match of the Super Cup here on Saturday.
Mohamed Ali gave Dempo a first-half lead before Naorem Mahesh Singh and Miguel Ferreira turned the game around for East Bengal.
But just when victory seemed secure, Laximanrao Rane struck late for Dempo to break the hearts of the Red and Golds.
It was the first meeting between these two historic clubs in more than a decade, with East Bengal having emerged victorious the last time they clashed in the I-League back in 2015.
The Red and Golds, who were Super Cup champions in 2024 and runners-up in the recent IFA Shield, entered the s contest as clear favourites. But Dempo, unbeaten in this season's Goa Pro League and playing on home soil, refused to play to the script.
Dempo made most of the opportunity they got in the 27th minute from a set-piece. Amay Morajkar floated a teasing free-kick into the box. East Bengal goalkeeper Debjit Majumdar rushed off his line but completely misjudged the flight of the ball.
In the ensuing chaos, the ball fell kindly to Mohamed Ali, who made no mistake slotting into an empty net.
However, just a minute after the restart, East Bengal's Hamid Ahadad unleashed a stinging shot from distance. Dempo goalkeeper Ashish Sibi parried it straight into the path of Naorem Mahesh Singh, who smashed home a grounded left-footer to level the score at 1-1.
The equaliser reignited East Bengal's rhythm, and in the 57th minute, substitute Miguel Ferreira produced a moment of individual brilliance.
Lalchungnunga lofted a perfectly weighted ball over the Dempo defence on the left flank. Ferreira sprinted onto it and, from a tight angle, struck a fierce bouncing shot that flew past Sibi into the far corner to finally give East Bengal the lead.
In the 89th minute, Laximanrao Rane received the ball at the edge of the East Bengal penalty area. Shielding it superbly from his marker, he swivelled and drilled a low shot toward the first post, which saw Majumdar rooted to the spot as the ball nestled into the net to send the Dempo dugout into wild celebrations.