NorthEast United beat Mohun Bagan 1-0 in the ISL 2026-27 season opener at Guwahati on Monday. Substitute Jithin M.S. scored in the 92nd minute after Bagan twice hit the woodwork.
Updated: October 13, 2026, 11:15 IST
Quick Read
- NorthEast United beat Mohun Bagan Super Giant 1-0 in the Indian Super League 2026-27 opener at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati, on October 12.
- Jithin M.S., brought on at half-time, scored the winner in the second minute of added time (90+2′) after a Vishal Kaith save ricocheted off the post.
- Mohun Bagan dominated — 19 attempts, six on target — but hit the woodwork twice through Lee Erwin and Suhail Bhat, and could not beat goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh.
One moment decided the season opener
Five minutes of added time had been shown. The match looked like a goalless draw. Then NorthEast United broke forward one last time.
Antonio Moyano let fly from outside the box. Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith got a hand to it, but the ball crashed off the woodwork and dropped kindly. Jithin M.S., the second-half substitute, was first to react and slotted it home in the 92nd minute. The home crowd at Sarusajai erupted.
Jithin had come on at the break for Asheer Akhtar, and he stayed in the game throughout the second half. His reward was the winner that gave NorthEast United all three points in the first match of the ISL 2026-27 season, as reported by Sportstar (The Hindu) on October 12.
Bagan’s chances came and went
The painful part for Mohun Bagan is that they had the better of it. Lee Erwin, the summer signing starting ahead of the injured Jamie Maclaren, struck the woodwork in the ninth minute from a Chhangte corner — though the flag was up for offside. Erwin kept running into the box but could not finish.
The visitors kept pressing after the break. Dilmperis sent on Manvir Singh, then Liston Colaco and Miguel Figueira in the 59th minute. In the 87th minute, substitute Suhail Bhat connected with a Colaco cross and beat Gurmeet Singh — only to see his shot strike the woodwork too.
At the other end, Gurmeet Singh kept NorthEast United alive with several sharp saves. Alaeddine Ajaraie thought he had scored from long range, but the goal was ruled out for offside. By full time Bagan had taken 19 shots, six of them on target, according to The News Mill. None went in.
Dilmperis: “We deserved to win”
Mohun Bagan head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis did not hide his frustration after the match. “We had five clear chances in front of the goalkeeper, around six or seven shots from outside the box, and several situations where we got into good positions but failed to deliver the right cross,” he said, as quoted by myKhel on October 12.
“We are very sad and disappointed with the result. We apologise to our fans because we wanted to start the season with a win, and we believe we deserved it. We kept creating chances, but despite hitting the woodwork twice, our opponents scored.”
NorthEast United coach Juan Pedro Benali will feel his side earned their luck. His team defended deep for long spells — Pramveer Ranbir and substitute Saikhom Thoiba Singh made crucial blocks — and struck at the perfect moment.
What the result means
Three points for the Highlanders, and a small piece of history: this was NorthEast United’s first ISL win over Mohun Bagan since 2022, per SportsLight Media. It also settles a score — Bagan had knocked NorthEast United out of the Durand Cup semifinal on penalties (4-3) back in August.
Both teams are back in action this week. Mohun Bagan face Sporting Club Delhi on October 16, while NorthEast United take on Kerala Blasters on October 18. Both games kick off at 7:30 PM IST, according to the ISL’s official highlights. Also read: India Beat West Indies by 14 Runs in 3rd T20I at Indore
FAQs
Who scored in NorthEast United vs Mohun Bagan?
Jithin M.S. scored the only goal in the 92nd minute (90+2′) of the ISL 2026-27 opener at Guwahati on October 12, 2026, giving NorthEast United a 1-0 win over Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
How many shots did Mohun Bagan have?
Mohun Bagan registered 19 attempts, six on target, per The News Mill’s match report. Lee Erwin and substitute Suhail Bhat both struck the woodwork, while NorthEast goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh made several crucial saves.
When is Mohun Bagan’s next ISL match?
Mohun Bagan play Sporting Club Delhi on October 16, and NorthEast United face Kerala Blasters on October 18, both at 7:30 PM IST, according to the ISL’s official channel.
