The 2024-25 season opener of the Indian Super League lived up to its blockbuster billing, with Mumbai City and Mohun Bagan playing out a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata. Bagan had a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the final twenty minutes of the game, but a goal from Tiri and a 90th minute equalizer from Thaer Krouma saw Mumbai nick a point right at the death.
With both managers making some big calls in their lineups ahead of the game, it was anyone's guess who would win. Mumbai swiftly answered that in the opening stages, with Bipin Singh causing Asish Rai plenty of torment down the visitor's left wing. Mumbai even had the ball in the back of the net early on, after Bipin diverted Jon Toral's goal-bound shot into the net, but the goal was ruled out as the winger was offside.
Mumbai were soon made to pay for their profligacy in the ninth minute as Bagan found the opener. Liston Colaco burst down the left wing and got to the byline, before sending in a low cross that wasn't near any Bagan player. However, Phurba Lachenpa got down to divert the cross but watched in horror as the ball squirmed under him, ricocheted off Tiri and trundled into the net.
The visitors ought to have been on level terms later, but Nikos Karelis sent a header wide from close range with the goal at his mercy. Mumbai's night worsened in the 28th minute, when Alberto Rodriguez slotted the ball home in the box after a headed layoff from Greg Stewart following a corner.
Bagan's plan was clear after the break - they were going to see out their 2-0 lead, with Vishal Kaith going into the book for time wasting eight minutes into the second half. The hosts looked set to see out the game against Mumbai's increasingly disjointed attack only to give them a lifeline.
Tiri scored a scrappy goal from close range following a short corner, dragging Petr Kratky's side back into the game in the 70th minute.
Substitutes PN Noufal and Thaer Krouma then made an immediate impact, with the former causing Bagan plenty of problems down the left wing. Noufal proved to be decisive at the death, bursting the left wing before cutting the ball back to Krouma in the box, who guided the ball into the bottom corner, making it 2-2 in the 90th minute and earning a precious point for Mumbai.
(You can relive the match as it happened, below.)