When Greg Stewart, the attacking midfielder from Scotland, moved to India in 2021 by signing with Jamshedpur FC, he took the Indian Super League (ISL) by storm, scoring 11 goals. The very next season, playing for Mumbai City FC, he found the back of the net ten times.
The Scottish playmaker later moved to Mohun Bagan after a brief stint with Kilmarnock in his native country. The 34-year-old has already played four matches for Mohun Bagan since he joined the Mariners in July on a year-long deal, but the brilliance typically associated with his game seemed to be missing.
However, on Saturday, playing at Salt Lake Stadium, the home to the Green and Maroon brigade, Stewart dazzled. He tore through the Mohammedan Sporting defence, scoring the third goal in Mohun Bagan’s thumping 3-0 win.
While Stewart netted his maiden goal for Mohun Bagan, what stood out even more was his ability to control the midfield. He created four chances and completed 11 of his 14 passes, dominating the middle of the park by exploiting the space given by Mohammedan Sporting.
Stewart’s goal came in the 36th minute following a solo effort as he dribbled past three defenders to slot the ball home. His combination play with Jamie Maclaren, the Australian player making his ISL debut, also showed great promise for Mohun Bagan.
Stewart’s header off Liston Colaco’s corner-kick set up Maclaren, who was unmarked at the far post, to head home the first goal in the eighth minute. Stewart also delivered a free-kick that landed on captain Subhasish Bose’s head for Mohun Bagan’s second goal in the 31st minute.
While Stewart operated finely as a subtle supplier, what truly captivated the fans were his long-range shots from the middle of the pitch. Although none found the back of the net, there is a strong belief among the fans that Stewart would be successful in scoring a long-range goal at some point this season.
As Stewart has rediscovered his mojo, Mohun Bagan also returned to winning ways, exuding hope for the club’s millions of fans.