India, Feb. 5 -- Mohun Bagan Super Giant has achieved yet another victory, marking a significant advancement towards securing the league shield in the Indian Super League (ISL). This 3-0 triumph, highlighted by Liston Colaco's goal and a brace from Jamie Maclaren, could represent a substantial leap towards becoming the first team to successfully defend the shield. With four matches remaining, Mohun Bagan has already secured a place in the playoffs, having won all nine of their home games this season.

After completing 20 matches, Mohun Bagan stands at 46 points, a 12-point lead over Jamshedpur FC, who have two matches in hand. Punjab FC, initially resilient until the halfway point, ultimately faltered, with Maclaren's second goal serving as a testament to their decline after Ashish Pradhan's error.

Maclaren's first goal broke the stalemate, showcasing why he is the all-time leading scorer in the A-League. Dippendu Biswas, solid in defence, assisted Maclaren, who skillfully turned and struck a volley into the bottom corner in the 56th minute. Colaco extended the lead to 2-0 in the 63rd minute, and Maclaren capped off the scoring in the 90th minute, marking his seventh goal of the season. "We lost concentration in the second half," remarked Punjab FC coach Panagiotis Dilmperis.

Vishal Kaith received a special jersey in recognition of achieving 50 clean sheets, a figure that increased to 52 by the end of the match. He now holds the record for the most clean sheets in ISL11, with 12 to his name.

A misplaced pass epitomized Mohun Bagan's frustration during this midweek encounter, precisely what Punjab FC coach Dilmperis would have hoped for at Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.

The Greek coach remarked during the pre-match media conference, "We will attempt a different approach," alluding to the threat posed by Mohun Bagan's set-piece strategies. Punjab FC managed to concede only two corner kicks, and their fouls occurred in areas that were too distant from the goal. Dilmperis opted for a five-man defence, effectively stifling the attacking prowess of Mohun Bagan.

However, this strategy left Punjab FC vulnerable during transitions. Pulga Vidal's first notable action was a foul on Ashish Rai in the 20th minute. In the first half, Mohun Bagan registered two shots on target, both from Stewart and Colaco, which were expertly saved by goalkeeper Ravi Kumar.

Despite this, there was an underlying feeling that Punjab FC was walking a precarious line. While Mohun Bagan's efforts to penetrate the defence were largely ineffective, a freak injury to Sahal Abdul Samad disrupted their rhythm. Nevertheless, as has been the narrative throughout the season, Mohun Bagan possessed an abundance of depth. Abhishek Suryavanshi stepped in for Sahal, and with Stewart orchestrating play in midfield, Mohun Bagan effectively weathered the setback. It was Suryavanshi's persistence that ultimately contributed to the second goal.

Moreover, Biswas's versatility in transitioning between centre-back and right-back enabled Jose Molina to introduce Ashique Kuruniyan as a left-back. Biswas executed two remarkable challenges early in the second half, during which Petros Giakoumakis struck the post. When Punjab FC found themselves trailing 0-2, Biswas made a crucial block against Abhishek Singh, prompting the crowd to chant, "Dippendu, Dippendu."

Had Giakoumakis found the net, it would have tested the resolve of Mohun Bagan. Instead, the goals were scored at the opposite end.

From the outset, Stewart was adept at finding spaces. An early reverse pass to Manvir Singh, who subsequently located Ashish Rai, signalled the significant impact the Scot would have on the match. Stewart then pressured Punjab FC into a turnover, resulting in a shot on goal that Kumar deflected over. In the 18th minute, Stewart connected with Maclaren, whose flick to Colaco forced Kumar to rush out and clear the ball. Stewart recorded 18 touches in the final third, evenly distributed between the two halves, with his passing accuracy increasing from 72% before halftime to 76% by the end of the match.

Facing a team organized in this manner, Mohun Bagan understood the necessity of patience. However, Maclaren and Stewart also initiated pressing actions, complicating Punjab's attempts to advance. Jason Cummings contributed to this effort as a late substitute in the second half. Mohun Bagan was aware that Punjab would eventually falter, and once again, their assessment proved correct.