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New Delhi: East Bengal opened their winning account in the I-League 2017/18 season with an impressive show against Shillong Lajong at the Vidyasagar Krirangan (Barasat Stadium) on Saturday (December 09). After Mahmoud Al Amnah and Eduardo Ferreira’s goals inside first 20 minutes, it was Laldanmawia Ralte’s two braces that sealed the deal for the home side. Yusa Katsumi in 79th then made it 4-0 via penalty.
For the visitors, Samuel Lalmuanpuia (87th) netted a consolation goal when all was over for them. After the 0-1 loss to arch-rivals Mohun Bagan, Khalid Jamil and his charges were under pressure to deliver and they did it in style against a side who came into the game with two wins in two games.
Courtesy the result, East Bengal jumped to the third position in the points table from seventh with four points from three matches. Lajong remained second with six points from three outings.
It was all East Bengal in the first period, and justly they took the lead as early as the 14th minute.
Syrian midfield mainstay Al Amnah did all the work, making his way into the box after receiving a throw in and then wrong-footed Lajong’s Laurence Doe to shoot with the ball taking a small deflection off Rakesh Pradhan to go in.
Five minutes later, the hosts doubled their advantage riding Ferreira’s powerful header from Katsumi’s corner.
The Japanese playmaker claimed penalty movents later when he was brought down inside the area by Juho Ho but the referee waved play on.
Tempers flared around the half-hour mark when Al-Amnah was hacked down in midfield and both teams exchanged war of words.
Plaza though failed to get back to form, wasting a free header from close off Katsumi’s cross before halftime.
After the break, there was no change of script as the red and gold brigade scored two more goals to put the match to bed.
Laldanmawia Ralte scored both the goals, first rounding goalkeeper Phurba Tempa Lachenpa to slot the ball into an empty net after the superb Al-Amnah set him up with a sublime pass, and then making the most of a defensive error to double his tally.
Katsumi put the icing on the cake from the spot after Phurba got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out of his goal.
Lalmuanpuia scored late on but it was scant consolation for the Highlanders as they succumbed to their first reversal of the season.
(With IANS inputs)
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