Kolkata/Pune: I-League giants East Bengal shrugged off their last week’s 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Salgaocar and started off their new year on a perfect note as they defeated Air India 2-1 in the 13th round of the I League football encounter played at the Yuba Bharati Krinangan, Kolkata on Monday.
Penn Orji turned out to be the savior for Kingfisher East Bengal scoring a brace in the 25th and 74th minute after Air India equalised early in the second half through Henry Ezeh in the 51st minute.
Air India started the match without Sandesh Gadkari, Mohammed Shafi and Kali Aluadeen while East Bengal missed the services of Mehtab Hussain ruled out due to suspensions.
East Bengal dominated early on in the match with Robin Singh hitting the post of a header in the 13th minute. Thereafter, East Bengal pressed further towards the Air India goal and eventually Penn Orji scored the first goal for Red & Gold placing the ball over the goalkeeper after defender Pratik Chowdhury failed to clear the ball. In the 34th minute Robin Singh struck the post a second time off a flick and the score stayed 1-0 till half time.
However, in the 51st minute Air India equalised when Henry Ezeh scored off a cross. Just when it looked like the match would end in a tie Penn Orji scored a second goal off a powerful strike from a Sanju Pradhan pass.
East Bengal held on the lead for rest of the match to register the victory against Air India. Man of the Match was awarded to Penn Orji.
Pune FC aim to stop Bagan’s juggernaut
Pune FC wouldn’t have asked for a better match to start the New Year with -- a home-match in front of their home crowd – that too against one of the strong contenders McDowell Mohun Bagan. A win will be the perfect momentum they are aiming for in the New Year especially after their last match 1-1 draw against Pailan Arrows.
Coach Derreck Pereira, nevertheless, isn’t willing to look back. “The draw isn’t a worry. Not at all! It was a different situation and my team responded well. We will take positives from that match,” he said.
Tuesday’s match stay the last I-League match before the 11-day break where three players from each team would be departing for National Duty – all for India’s exhibition match against Bayern Munich in the Audi Football Summit on January 10 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The two teams have met four times in the I-League and the last three encounters have ended in draws -- two being goalless and another in a 1-1 draw. Pune FC lost to Mohun Bagan last way back in 2009 November at Balewadi, but then the host were then relative newcomers to the top level.
Going by the law of averages, a win for Pune FC is very much in asking, but then even a draw would suffice for the home team that will help them break into the 20-point bracket.
“The match against Mohun Bagan will be a tough one. They have good players in their ranks despite the exclusions,” said Pereira adding that Pune FC was ready for the Kolkata side no matter what has been Bagan’s recent performance.
For Bagan, inspirational captain Jose Ramirez Barreto stays absent as he hasn’t travelled with the team. Bagan presently stay on 24 points from 12 matches while Pune stay on 19 points from 12 matches.