I-League: Mohun Bagan's 23-pass goal against Churchill Brothers cited by AIFF as example of Indian football's 'significant progression'

New Delhi: A Mohun Bagan goal that came after 23 passes in their win against Churchill Brothers has been showcased by the All India Football Federation to drive home the competitiveness of the I-League and the “significant progression” it has made. Mohun Bagan’s third goal in their 3-0 away win on Saturday featured 23 successive passes across the length and breadth of the pitch before Komron Tursonov slammed the ball home to end the exquisite move on the perfect note. [caption id=“attachment_8022791” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mohun Bagan find themselves on top of the I-League table with 32 points from 13 games so far. Twitter @ILeagueOfficial[/caption] The AIFF said the Mariners have been the chief proponents of “beautiful football” this season under Spanish head coach Kibu Vicuna. The Kolkata giants are currently leading the I-League table with 32 points form 13 matches besides having an 11-game unbeaten run. “The Hero I-League 2019-20 season is fast approaching its business end and like every edition it has seen some terrific contests and sublime display of skills so far — highlighting how there has been a significant progression over the way the ‘beautiful game’ is played in India,” the AIFF said. “The fire of competitiveness is well and truly burning, but at the same time the ‘beautiful’ aspect of the sport has come to the fore on numerous occasions as well,” it added. The AIFF said a significant reason behind Mohun Bagan’s success this season has been Vicuna’s style of exciting brand of football. Vicuna had stated that he’s trying to create their “own model” of play in India. “It was a good goal and it is an important source of satisfaction for the entire coaching staff to see that all the aspects you have been working in the training sessions happen in the matches,” Kibu was quoted as saying by the AIFF’s official website. “Since we arrived in India we have tried to create our own model with our style of football. The team is playing good football according to this style but we know that we can play better and in every training session, we are training accordingly,” he said. According to Sunando Dhar, CEO Leagues, there has been a marked change in the style of football the teams have played across the seasons and has helped “enhance the quality of football” in India. “With each passing season the teams have started to play in a style where they have looked to keep the ball, build attacks from the back — right from the goalkeeper — and keep the ball on the ground,” Dhar said. “It only makes the game more attractive and enjoyable for the fans. I also think it’s the right way to play the beautiful game. This has really enhanced the quality of football in the country,” he said.