ATK Mohun Bagan recorded their eighth consecutive win over East Bengal at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday. The 2-0 victory, thanks to Slavko Damjanovic and Dimitri Petratos’s goals in the second half, ensured ATK Mohun Bagan the third place in ISL IX points table and will host Odisha FC in the play-off tie on March 4.

ATK Mohun Bagan haven’t tasted defeat against their arch-rivals for the last three years and it’s becoming too monotonous now. ATK Mohun Bagan also extended their record of consecutive victories against East Bengal.

Coach Juan Ferrando did not have Carl McHugh at his disposal and started with Hugo Boumous, who was returning from injury. Yet ATK Mohun Bagan not for once looked like a team who would lose. They had a plan for the day and executed it to perfection.

Ashish Rai ensured Naorem Mahesh Singh remained anonymous on the right flank and he was ably assisted by Manvir Singh who dropped down time and again to help Rai. With Singh inactive, East Bengal’s Brazilian striker and captain Cleiton Silva could not do much to trouble the ATK Mohun Bagan defence. Ashique Kuruniyan also played his part on the left flank as he, along with Subhasish Bose, negated VP Suhair’s runs.

ATK Mohun Bagan dictated terms from the early stages and created quite a few chances. But as usual, their shyness in front of the goal denied them a chance to take the lead. Once captain Pritam Kotal was left unmarked inside the East Bengal penalty box and with a world of time in his hand volleyed over from a distance of eight yards.

Then Kurunian earned a free-kick just outside the penalty box and Petratos could not inflict damage on the ‘host’ team. Later in the second half, Petratos had beaten an onrushing goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh but the left-footed attempt missed the target.

On match-eve, coach Stephen Constantine had spoken about how he has helped East Bengal to lay the foundation to do bigger things next season, but on Saturday it seemed the red-and-gold brigade are nowhere near their rivals.

Most of the time East Bengal were playing in their own half and when on off occasions they ventured into the rival half, the players ran out of ideas. East Bengal this time finished 10th with 19 points from 20 matches.

This is one better than the previous season when they came last in the 11-team league.

Now about the goals. Following Petratos corner from the right, Manvir Singh did an audacious backheel which was headed by Slavko Damjanovic. The ball ricocheted off the far post and came to the defender again who prodded it home. One-nil in the 68th minute.

In the 90th minute came the second. Substitute Kiyan Nassiri’s right-footer was partly saved by East Bengal goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh.

Petratos came at the right time to make it 2-0.

Charalambos Kyriakou (left) of East Bengal and ATK Mohun Bagan’s Manvir Singh in an aerial tussle on Saturday. Sanat Kumar Sinha