ISL 2021-22: Jamshedpur FC clinch League Winners Shield after beating ATK Mohun Bagan
Jamshedpur also became the first side in ISL history to win seven games in a row. JFC won 1-0.
Jamshedpur FC won the Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 League Winners Shield following a gritty 1-0 victory over ATK Mohun Bagan at the PJN Stadium in Margao, Goa on Monday.
Ritwik Das (56’) scored the only goal of the game and sealed the seventh straight victory for his team.
Jamshedpur FC needed to draw to finish top of the table and clinch the League Shield. With the win, Jamshedpur FC finished with 43 points from 20 games which includes 13 wins. ATK Mohun Bagan finished third with 37 in their kitty from 20 matches.
Jamshedpur will take on Kerala Blasters FC on March 11 in the first semi-final while ATK Mohun Bagan will square off with Hyderabad FC the next day in the second last-four clash.
ATK Mohun Bagan needed to win by a 2-0 victory to leapfrog Jamshedpur and second-placed Hyderabad FC, but it was not to be as Ritwik continued his purple patch with a sumptuous strike after Greg Stewart did all the spadework.
With stakes so high, it was expected to be a cagey affair and so it was with both teams eager to suss each other out.
The Mariners enjoyed more of the ball in the initial exchanges, coming closest to breaking the deadlock when a wild attempt from Tiri went wide.
The busiest person on the field was the referee as he reached to his pocket thrice, flashing yellow cards in the first half and all to Jamshedpur players.
After a change of ends, Stewart started bossing proceedings with his mazy runs and incisive passing, the industry bearing fruit four minutes to the hour mark when the Scotsman evaded two ATK Mohun Bagan shirts to cut into his right and beat his marker.
Stewart went for goal himself but the ball came off an ATK Mohun Bagan player and fell to Ritwik who shot the first time as the ball went past Amrinder Singh and into the back of the net.
ATK Mohun Bagan tried hard to forge a comeback but Jamshedpur held firm and eventually bagged three points, becoming the first side in the ISL history to make seven wins in a row.