Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 2 : Greg Stewart was ecstatic to play a pivotal role in securing all three points for his team during a thrilling match against Chennaiyin FC (CFC) at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant's (MBSG) bench stole the spotlight, with Jose Molina's tactical substitutions proving game-changing in a match that seemed destined for a goalless draw.
Coming on in the 85th minute, the Scottish maestro delivered a man-of-the-match performance. His pinpoint assist set up fellow substitute Jason Cummings, who unleashed a thunderous strike into the top corner, earning Stewart his fifth assist of the season. Despite his brief time on the field, Stewart left his mark by relentlessly pressing the Marina Machans' defence and hitting the woodwork twice in the game's closing stages.
"Massive three points for the boys today against a difficult Chennaiyin FC team. We dug deep; it was difficult at times, and we knew it was going to be like that," Stewart said to indiansuperleague.com after the game.
Stewart marked his return exactly one month after his last appearance in Mohun Bagan Super Giant's 2-0 victory over Hyderabad FC. A leg injury had sidelined him for matches against Odisha FC and Jamshedpur FC.
Thrilled to contribute immediately on his comeback and lend support to his teammate Jason Cummings, who has been facing a challenging period, Stewart said, "The boys worked so hard, and to come on for the last ten minutes to try and help the team after being injured for so many weeks. I'm just so happy for the boys to get the three points and even more (happy) for Jason (Cummings). He had a tough time; he wasn't having much game time, but he has shown his class once again."
Another substitute and goalscorer, Jason Cummings, netted the dramatic late winner. The Aussie forward collected the ball from Stewart, created space for himself, and calmly placed it into the top corner, beyond Mohammad Nawaz's reach.
This goal marked Cummings' fourth strike off the bench since joining the ISL last season, equaling Sunil Chhetri for the most goals scored as a substitute by any player in the league during this time.
"Greg (Stewart) gave me the pass from outside the box, and I just got it to my feet and tried to find the top corner, and luckily enough, it went in," Cummings told indiansuperleague.com after the game.
Cummings had high praise for the Mariners' supporters, who once again showed up in large numbers and backed the team until the final whistle, driving them to another strong victory at home.
"Fans, as always, pushed us until the very end, and it was a hard game. Chennaiyin FC are a top team, and they pushed us until the very end, and we are glad to come away with the three points," he added.
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