I-League 2018: East Bengal rides on Laldanmawia's brace to script 3-2 win over Mohun Bagan

East Bengal soared to the fifth spot on the I-League 2018 table when it defeated Mohun Bagan 3-2 to claim its first Kolkata Derby win in over two years.

East Bengal players celebrate scoring a goal during their 3-2 win against Mohun Bagan in the I-League on Sunday.

East Bengal banked on Laldanmawia Ralte's brace and a spectacular overhead volley from Jobby Justin to cruise to a 3-2 win over arch-rival Mohun Bagan in an absorbing I-League clash at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Sunday.

The first Kolkata Derby of the I-League season saw Mohun Bagan take the lead in the 13th minute, while Laldanmawia restored parity three minutes later. East Bengal made a spectacular comeback and scored two more goals to lead 3-1 by the 62nd minute.

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Mohun Bagan was reduced to 10 men by the hour mark when captain Kingsley Eze was sent off for a second yellow card but managed to reduce the deficit when Dipanda Dicka pulled one back in the final quarter of the match. 

-Exciting start-

Billed as one of the biggest clashes of the season, the match was fiercely contested from the get-go and witnessed end-to-end action as both the sides opted to play an open game. Mohun Bagan utilised a well-crafted counter-attacking move to find the break in the 13th minute through Azharuddin Mallick.

Jobby Justin's stunning overhead kick gave East Bengal the lead at the stroke of half-time.

East Bengal, which introduced new Spanish forward Jaime Santos, regrouped quickly and restored parity in the 17th minute when Laldanmawia coolly converted an assist from Justin.

East Bengal went on to take the lead in the 44th minute when Justin scored a spectacular overhead kick. Laldanmawia received the ball in the box and nodded it in Justin's path and the latter scored in style to give his side the lead at the cusp of half-time. 

The change of ends saw East Bengal attack with greater intensity and exploit cracks in the Bagan defence. Mohun Bagan skipper Kingsley Eze received marching orders in the 60th minute when he hacked down Justin on the edge of the box.

East Bengal added salt to the wound as Laldanmawia bagged his second goal of the evening from the resultant free-kick. The 25-year-old slotted home Lalrindika Ralte’s free-kick to extend his side's lead to 3-1, but Dicka pegged one back in the 75th minute to keep the tie alive.

East Bengal players greet their fans after their 3-2 win over Mohun Bagan in the I-League on Sunday.

 

It proved to be too little too late as East Bengal held on to register its first Kolkata Derby win since 2016.The triumph moves East Bengal to the fifth spot in the I-league table with 12 points from seven games, while Mohun Bagan remains in the eighth spot with nine points from as many games.