East Bengal eliminated from Super Cup after a 2-2 draw with Aizawl FC

East Bengal was held to a 2-2 draw against Aizawl FC as it made an exit from the Super Cup 2023 at the Manjeri Payyanad Stadium in Kerala on Monday.

Sumeet Passi scores East Bengal’s second goal against Aizawl FC in the Super Cup at Manjeri. | Photo Credit: SAKEER HUSSAIN 

East Bengal was eliminated from the Super Cup 2023 after playing out a 2-2 draw against Aizawl FC at the Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri on Monday.

Stephen Constantine, who managed his last EB game against Aizawl, needed his men to win by at least three goals to keep qualification hopes alive. However, despite taking a 2-0 lead within 22 minutes, the Red and Gold Brigade could not hold on to their lead yet again.

East Bengal went ahead in the 17th minute. Cleiton Silva found Naorem Mahesh Singh with an excellent through ball on the left flank. Mahesh tried to find Passi in the middle, but the ball took a deflection off Aizawl goalkeeper Vanlal Hriatpuia and ended up inside the net.

Five minutes later, Sumeet Passi doubled the lead for East Bengal, after finding the net with an excellent header off a fine cross by V.P. Suhair from the right.

Aizawl pulled one back shortly before the interval, through H.K. Lalhruaitluanga, assisted by David Lalhlansanga.

Three minutes into the second half, Lalhlansanga put his own name on the scorers’ list, with a brilliant long-ranger to make it 2-2.

Meanwhile, further changes have been made to the schedule. The semifinals and the final will kick off at 7 p.m. instead of 8.30 p.m.

The last two matches in Group D will have a simultaneous kick-off (8.30 p.m.): Mumbai City will face Chennaiyin FC here, while NorthEastern United will meet Churchill Brothers at Kozhikode.