East Bengal preserved its winning form at the expense of Bengaluru FC, which it beat 2-1 in a matchweek-21 fixture of ISL 2023-24 season at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Sunday.
Saul Crespo got the lead from the penalty spot in the first half, while Cleiton Silva produced a late winner in the second half for East Bengal. Sunil Chhetri, who came in as a second-half substitute, scored the only Bengaluru goal from the spot.
Having beaten Kerala Blasters in its previous outing, East Bengal reached 24 points from 21 matches to climb to the sixth spot, dislodging Chennaiyin FC (also on 24 from 20 matches) on a better goal average. Bengaluru, which stayed on 22 from 21, saw its playoff chances evaporating after the loss.
AS IT HAPPENED: East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC highlights
Bengaluru put in more hard work, but East Bengal enjoyed the advantage by finding the only goal of the opening half. The home side found the lead off a 19th-minute penalty conversion after Bengaluru defender Lalremtluanga Fanai tackled the East Bengal winger Mahesh Singh from behind inside his own box. Crespo came up to score from the spot, and East Bengal maintained the lead till half-time as it succeeded in denying the Blues some good scoring chances.
Bengaluru, which enjoyed a good 55 per cent ball possession, got the first chance in the 11th minute when Sivasakthi almost converted from a Fanai assist, but East Bengal goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill got his face in the way to deflect the ball out of harm’s way.
Red and Gold captain Cleiton miscued a straight-forward attempt from inside the Bengaluru box in the 29th minute to let go a clear chance of doubling the lead. Bengaluru had its second clear opportunity in injury-time (45+2 minute), but its Danish forward Oliver Drost failed to reach a cut-back from the Spanish playmaker Javi Hernandes, who created an open chance with his effort.
Bengaluru scored the equaliser from a penalty at the hour mark, which it earned thanks to some good work in the East Bengal box by Chhetri. The Indian captain put the East Bengal defence under pressure with his clever runs and created the penalty, getting the East Bengal defender Harmanjot Khabra to handle one of his sharp crosses. Chhetri scored from the spot to get his 61st ISL goal.
However, Chhetri’s equaliser went in vain as Cleiton nodded home an inch-perfect cross from Nishu in the 73rd minute to secure the points for Carles Cuadrat’s men.
With the team spirit sagging after the equaliser, East Bengal head coach Cuadrat introduced young Aman C.V., who infused the pace in the East Bengal attacks and released Nishu Kumar on the left to float the cross for Silva to finish.
On the other hand Bengaluru was unlucky in not getting the equaliser in the 85th minute when its young substitute Monirul Molla outran the East Bengal defence to attempt a cracking shot. But Prabhsukhan Gill came in the way again to produce a massive save and preserve his team’s lead.
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