It wasn’t the homecoming Clifford Miranda had envisioned. Returning to Goa as the head coach of an all-Indian Chennaiyin FC, Miranda’s first Super Cup assignment ended in disappointment as Mohun Bagan Super Giant powered by a Jamie Maclaren brace, secured a comfortable 2-0 win at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda on a rain-drenched Saturday night.
The Goan coach, who grew up playing at this very venue, found himself on the receiving end of a clinical performance from a Bagan side that looked well-drilled, composed, and largely untroubled through 90 minutes.
The match began under heavy showers, with the pitch quickly cutting up and affecting passing rhythm for both sides. Yet, Bagan adapted faster. From the opening whistle, the Mariners pushed forward through Manvir Singh and Liston Colaco on the flanks, keeping Chennaiyin pinned deep. In the 9th minute, Manvir’s cross from the right forced Chennaiyin goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz into an early save, and Colaco’s follow-up shot was blocked by defender Laldinpuia. The early exchanges set the tone Bagan had intent and width; Chennaiyin had resilience but little attacking structure.
The conditions worsened with the rain, but Bagan maintained control through their midfield pairing of Anirudh Thapa and Jitendra Singh, who dictated tempo against a hard-working yet outmatched Chennaiyin core of Jiteshwor Singh and Farukh Choudhary.
Maclaren Opens the Floodgates
The breakthrough arrived in the 38th minute. A swift move down the left saw Liston Colaco outmuscle his marker and slip a pass through to Jamie Maclaren, who darted between two defenders and finished neatly past Nawaz to make it 1-0.
It was a moment of class in a half otherwise dictated by slippery turf and physical duels. Just minutes earlier, Chennaiyin had come close through Jiteshwor, whose low strike was brilliantly saved by Vishal Kaith a turning point that swung momentum Bagan’s way.
At halftime, the Mariners led 1-0, with Maclaren’s composure underlining the difference in quality between the two sides.
The second half began with the rain easing, allowing both sides to settle into more measured football. Chennaiyin tried to press higher, relying on the pace of Irfan Yadwad and Klusner John Manuel Pereira, but Bagan’s backline, marshalled by Pritam Kotal and Subhasish Bose, remained unbreached. At the other end, Bagan’s attackers looked sharper and hungrier. In the 54th minute, Maclaren nearly turned provider, squaring a cross that was cleared at the last moment by Elson Fernandes.
Clifford Miranda’s men attempted to draw Bagan out of their half to counter-attack, but the strategy backfired. The Mariners were well-organized and quick to transition, with Thapa linking midfield to attack seamlessly. Any hopes of a Chennaiyin comeback were dashed in the 67th minute. A long ball from Subhasish Bose found Manvir racing down the left. The winger whipped in a precise cross to the far post, where Maclaren timed his run perfectly to slot home his second goal of the night and with it, Bagan’s three points.
The Australian forward’s brace was a reminder of why he remains one of the most lethal finishers in Indian football. His movement, awareness, and finishing were clinical, giving Chennaiyin no chance of recovery. Bagan’s substitutes Jason Cummings, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, and Hugo Boumous were introduced late in the game to maintain attacking pressure, with Cummings nearly adding a third in the 84th minute, only to be denied by a comfortable save from Nawaz.
Chennaiyin’s Late Flicker
Despite being two goals down, Chennaiyin refused to give in completely. In stoppage time, Klusner Pereira unleashed a curling effort from distance that dipped dangerously but struck the outside of the post. It was the closest the Marina Machans came to finding the net all evening. That moment summed up their night brave in patches but lacking the cutting edge to truly trouble the defending ISL champions. For Mohun Bagan, this was a professional and composed performance the perfect start to their Super Cup 2025–26 campaign. With Jamie Maclaren in red-hot form and the midfield clicking, they now top their group after East Bengal and Dempo SC played out a 2–2 draw earlier in the day.
Head coach Antonio López Habas will be pleased with how his side managed the game in difficult conditions, rotating players and maintaining control throughout. For Clifford Miranda, the result will sting. Returning to Goa, he would have hoped for a memorable start, but his young, all-Indian Chennaiyin squad was outplayed by a side brimming with international quality and tactical depth. Still, there were positives — Chennaiyin’s work rate, organization, and glimpses of promise from Irfan and Jiteshwor suggest a foundation to build upon.
Final Score: Mohun Bagan 2–0 Chennaiyin FC
Goals: Jamie Maclaren (38’, 67’)
Venue: PJN Stadium, Margao
Competition: AIFF Super Cup 2025–26
Next Fixtures:
- Mohun Bagan vs Dempo SC
- Chennaiyin FC vs East Bengal
On a wet Goan evening, Jamie Maclaren’s clinical finishing made all the difference and Clifford Miranda’s homecoming story ended not in celebration, but in quiet reflection.
