East Bengal’s title hopes took a heavy beating
as the Kolkata giant played a 1-1 draw with Sporting Clube de Goa in a 24th
round match of the I-League at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday (April 14).
Sporting Clube de Goa went ahead in the first half off a Juan Pela long-ranger
while East Bengal equalized through Edeh Chidi midway through the second half.
Needing a win to keep their hope afloat, East Bengal crumbled to their fourth successive draw and fell further behind in the title race with Churchill Brothers. East Bengal could not make the right beginning as they conceded a goal in the first half. The home side enjoyed a flurry of attacks initially but failed to get the break. Sporting Clube de Goa goalkeeper Bruno Colaco made a spectacular save in the 21st minute when Chidi fired a rasping drive from inside the box.
Needing a win to keep their hope afloat, East Bengal crumbled to their fourth successive draw and fell further behind in the title race with Churchill Brothers. East Bengal could not make the right beginning as they conceded a goal in the first half. The home side enjoyed a flurry of attacks initially but failed to get the break. Sporting Clube de Goa goalkeeper Bruno Colaco made a spectacular save in the 21st minute when Chidi fired a rasping drive from inside the box.
East Bengal’s other forward Baljit Singh Sahni had another scoring opportunity in the 23rd minute but his header went wide.
Sporting Clube de Gao came into the match thereafter and had the first notable attack in the 33rd minute when their attacking midfielder Ogba Kalu had a clear look on the East Bengal goal. The player faltered inside the opponent box missing the chance.
Juan Pena, the Spanish striker, found the lead for the visitors in the 44th minute when his swerving shot from outside the East Bengal box went in beating Abhijit Mondal in the goal.
East Bengal made desperate efforts to comeback in the second half. Uga Okpara saw his header on a Raju Gaekwad throw coming off the crosspiece in the 51st minute.
Chidi made no mistake with his next chance when he headed home a cross from Robert Lalthalmuana to level the score. East Bengal another chance to get into the lead in the 64th minute when Orji Penn found himself in a scoring position but the East Bengal midfielder tried a wild shot that went wide of the target.
East Bengal now have 43 points from 23 matches while Sporting Clube de Goa 31 from 24.
The AIFF
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