I-League 2017-18: Mohun Bagan suffer blow as striker Aser Pierrick Dicka picks up ankle injury against East Bengal

Kolkata: Mohun Bagan forward Aser Pierrick Dipanda Dicka sustained an ankle injury in their 1-0 win over arch-rivals East Bengal in the I-League derby on Sunday. [caption id=“attachment_4240301” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mohun Bagan and East Bengal players in action during their I-League Kolkata derby. I-League[/caption] “He’s injured his ankle and is being treated at the hospital. We are waiting for the reports,” Mohun Bagan head coach Sanjoy Sen said at the post-match news conference. In a 51st minute move, Dicka failed to connect a cross by Ricky Lallawmawma inside the box and the Cameroonian was seen grimacing in pain. The 28-year-old was attended to by the medical team on the sidelines as he failed to get up and was later stretchered off into an ambulance. It’s not known whether he has fractured his ankle or not. Mohun Bagan, who jumped to top three with four points from two matches after their first win of the season on Sunday, will host Churchill Brothers in their next match here on 10 December. Meanwhile, Sanjoy appeared to have added insult to the injury of East Bengal when he said their arch-rivals. Sanjoy also took potshots at the East Bengal coach Khalid Jamil who took charge of the Kolkata side after guiding Aizawl FC clinch I-League title last season. “We should have won by five-six goals. (Ansumana) Kromah missed two, (Aser Pierrick Dipanda) Dicka missed two, if refereeing was better, we would have got a penalty in the first-half,” Sanjoy said at the post-match news conference. “They (East Bengal) failed to create chances, there was only one which was saved by Shilton Paul. There was nothing noteworthy,” he added. Mohun Bagan dominated the match but only to win by a solitary goal which came off a header from their Nigerian central-defender Eze Kingsley in the 40th minute. East Bengal came close to scoring once in the 80th minute but Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Shilton Paul put up a fine save to deny Laldanmawia Ralte. “Coaches say they undertake video analysis and all that. God only knows what they do,” Sen said, without taking any name but clearly referring to his opposite number. “Unlike others, I don’t pressure my team repeating ‘derby, derby’. We’re not the underdogs. Those who billed us as that have been proved wrong.” He said Mohun Bagan can beat any team if they play to their potential. “Winning the I-League Trophy is our priority and to get it with a victory over East Bengal is all the more a satisfying feeling,” he said. For man-of-the-match Kingsley, it was his first goal of the I-League and it could not have come on a better occasion. “To score it in a derby is the best thing to happen. We fought for it and we got a goal. It’s like a dream come true for me,” the 26-year-old Nigerian central defender said, dedicating the goal to his mother. Taking full responsibility of the East Bengal’s debacle, coach Jamil said: “We practised defending set pieces yesterday (Saturday). But this is my mistake, I take 100 percent responsibility.” “I’m not saying my players did not give 100 percent today (Sunday), but in East Bengal colours, you have to give it a 100 percent every time. “It was a silly goal to concede. The marking for the goal was very poor. (Willis) Plaza has to work hard, has to concentrate on next match,” Jamil said about his Trinidadian forward Plaza who was at his profligate best on Sunday.