All the stadium emcee had to say was “Joy”. “Mohun Bagan” roared 62,007 supporters, the shout soaring into the sky and bouncing back to the Salt Lake stadium. Sunday’s 2-0 win for Mohun Bagan Super Giant against Odisha FC in the second leg of the semi-final meant Antonio Lopez Habas had done it again – come from behind to play another final of the Indian Super League (ISL). On Saturday, they will meet the winners of the Mumbai City FC-FC Goa semi-final here.

Habas has never lost an ISL second leg semi-final. In 2015, the 2-1 win wasn’t enough to overturn a 0-3 verdict in the first leg against Chennaiyin FC. But in 2019-20, it was with ATK Mohun Bagan erasing a 0-1 defeat to Bengaluru FC to win 3-1 here. Then, they had gone all the way. An encore will make Habas the second coach, after Sergio Lobera, to do an ISL double. Mohun Bagan, remember, have won the league shield beating Mumbai City FC 2-1 in a must-win tie.

Sahal Abdul Samad will be credited the second goal but it was Manvir Singh’s industry that produced it. Heat-proof and tiredness-proof on a sticky, steamy evening, Singh hared on the right like the game had just begun and was not 90+3 minutes old. The cut-back hit Amrinder Singh, the head of Samad, a swing and a miss before he walked the ball in.

From helping the defence to running at defenders, right wingback Singh encapsulated the desire and hunger the defending champions showed. Roy Krishna still proved to be a threat but a combination of saves from Vishal Kaith, Hector Yuste’s goalline kick to deny Isak Vanlalruatfela, crucial interceptions from Dippendu Biswas and Manvir Singh, bodies-on-the-line defending and the slice of luck needed to win such games proved enough.

Jason Cummings’ 22nd minute goal was what the hosts, trailing 1-2 from Bhubaneswar, needed. That happened when Dimitri Petratos’ stinger, after Thapa’s crossfield ball to Petratos had set the move going, was deflected by Amrinder Singh into Cummings’ path. Involved from the first minute, duelling in midfield and taking corner-kicks and free-kicks, Petratos was the engine on which Mohun Bagan thrummed. He will need to do it one more time.

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