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Mohun Bagan fight back to beat Punjab 2-1, climb to ISL summit
Mohun Bagan Super Giant came from behind to beat Punjab FC 2-1 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on 31 October 2026, moving top of the ISL table as Lee Erwin and Dejan Drazic cancelled out Alfred Planas's early goal.
⚡Key Highlights
Premium
Mohun Bagan Super Giant came from behind to beat Punjab FC 2-1 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on 31 October 2026, moving top of the ISL table as Lee Erwin and Dejan Drazic cancelled out Alfred Planas's early goal.
Special coverage and in-depth reporting from the Sports & Cricket desk.
Key analysis, background details, and full reporting below.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant came from behind to beat Punjab FC 2-1 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday, moving to the top of the Indian Super League table and ending the visitors' unbeaten start to the season.
By StoryTimesNow News Desk — 01 November 2026, 5:01 PM IST
Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Punjab FC 2-1 in Kolkata on 31 October 2026 to move to the top of the ISL table. (Illustrative image)
Key Takeaways
What happened: Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Punjab FC 2-1 in an Indian Super League match at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday, 31 October 2026.
Who made the difference: Lee Erwin scored the equaliser in the 18th minute and then set up Dejan Drazic for the winner in the 42nd minute, after Alfred Planas had given Punjab an early third-minute lead.
What next: Mohun Bagan moved to the top of the ISL standings with nine points from four matches, while Punjab slipped to fourth with seven points from four matches after their first defeat of the season.
Introduction
Mohun Bagan Super Giant are top of the Indian Super League. The Kolkata side recovered from conceding inside three minutes to beat Punjab FC 2-1 at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, turning the game around before half-time and then holding on through eight minutes of added time.
What Happened?
Punjab made a flying start. Just two minutes and 39 seconds into the match, Sanathoi Meetei picked out Alfred Planas Moya outside the penalty area, and the midfielder fired a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Vishal Kaith to put the visitors 1-0 up.
Mohun Bagan, however, settled and began to take control in midfield. The equaliser arrived in the 18th minute, when Subhashish Bose won possession from Kipgen inside Punjab's half and Anirudh Thapa quickly played the ball to Lee Erwin. The Scottish striker turned and finished with his left foot into the bottom corner, beating goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh to make it 1-1.
The comeback was complete three minutes before half-time. Erwin turned provider this time, setting up Dejan Drazic outside the penalty area, and the midfielder dispatched a right-footed effort into the bottom-left corner to give Mohun Bagan a 2-1 lead. One report of the match noted that Drazic's shot took a deflection off Punjab defender Bijoy V on its way in, a slice of fortune that the home side scarcely minded.
Punjab pushed hard for a late equaliser: Tangri narrowly missed from outside the box in the 87th minute, and Mohun Bagan survived eight minutes of added time before the three points were secure.
Why Does This Matter?
The result reshapes the early ISL table. Mohun Bagan's nine points from four matches took them to the summit, while Punjab's first defeat of the campaign dropped them to fourth with seven points from the same number of games. Reports described Mohun Bagan's position at the top as temporary: the table will keep moving as rivals play their fixtures, but leading it, even briefly, carries real psychological value.
Important Details
Match: Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Punjab FC, Indian Super League 2026-27, Match 21, Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), Kolkata, Saturday 31 October 2026.
Result: Mohun Bagan Super Giant won 2-1.
Goals: Alfred Planas Moya (3rd minute) for Punjab; Lee Erwin (18th minute) and Dejan Drazic (42nd minute) for Mohun Bagan.
Key contributions: Sanathoi Meetei set up Planas; Anirudh Thapa assisted Erwin after Subhashish Bose won the ball; Erwin set up Drazic for the winner.
Late drama: Punjab's Tangri missed from outside the box in the 87th minute, and Mohun Bagan held on through eight minutes of added time.
Table: Mohun Bagan top with nine points from four matches; Punjab fourth with seven points from four matches, after their first defeat of the season.
Coaches and keepers: Panos Dilmperis coaches Mohun Bagan; Vishal Kaith kept goal for the hosts, Arshdeep Singh for Punjab.
Background and Context
The Indian Super League is India's top-flight professional football league, and Mohun Bagan Super Giant are one of its biggest names, with a vast support base in Kolkata. Punjab FC, nicknamed the Shers, are a newer top-flight force who have built their identity on an aggressive, front-foot style, which was on display again in the opening minutes on Saturday.
What Happens Next?
Mohun Bagan will look to consolidate their position at the top in their next fixture, knowing that a lead built in late October and early November only counts if it is defended through the winter months. Punjab, meanwhile, must regroup quickly: their unbeaten start is gone, but seven points from four matches still leaves them well placed in fourth, and a response in their next match would put this defeat in perspective.
What Readers Should Know
If you are new to the ISL, the key point is simple: three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss, with the table ranked by points and then goal difference. Mohun Bagan's nine points from four games means three wins and one defeat so far; Punjab's seven points means two wins, one draw and now one defeat. That is why one result could lift one side to the top and drop the other to fourth.
FAQs
Who scored in Mohun Bagan vs Punjab FC? Alfred Planas Moya gave Punjab a third-minute lead. Lee Erwin equalised for Mohun Bagan in the 18th minute, and Dejan Drazic scored the winner in the 42nd minute.
What does the result mean for the ISL table? Mohun Bagan moved to the top with nine points from four matches. Punjab dropped to fourth with seven points from four matches after their first defeat of the season.
Where was the match played? At the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, better known as Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata, on Saturday 31 October 2026.
Sources and Verification
The Telegraph, 1 November 2026 — https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/sports/mohun-bagan-beat-punjab-fc-2-1-to-move-top-of-indian-super-league-standings-in-2026-prnt/cid/2187292
Rediff Sports (PTI), 1 November 2026 — https://www.rediff.com/sports/report/mohun-bagan-beat-punjab-fc-to-top-isl-table/20261031.htm
The Daily Pioneer, 1 November 2026 — https://dailypioneer.com/sports/mohun-bagan-fight-back-to-beat-punjab-fc-2-1-climb-to-top-of-isl-table
ANI via Dailyhunt, 1 November 2026 — https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/ani%20english-epaper-anieng/isl%20punjab%20fc%20falls%20short%20with%20narrow%20defeat%20to%20mohun%20bagan%20super%20giant-newsid-n732340985
The Times of India, 1 November 2026 — https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/indian-super-league/top-stories/mohun-bagan-rally-to-down-punjab-2-1/articleshow/135415859.cms
Based on match reports published on 1 November 2026 by The Telegraph, PTI via Rediff Sports, The Daily Pioneer, ANI and The Times of India, which agree on the scoreline, scorers, goal times and table positions. The hero image is a symbolic illustration, not a depiction of any real player.
