I-League: East Bengal Brush Aside Vasco 2-0

East Bengal dominated the match throughout the 90 minutes and took the lead as early as the 9th minute when a defensive mistake gave the ball away and East Bengal striker Yusif Yakubu gleefully pouned to slot home past a shocked Laxmikant Kattinami. That set the tone for the match and spurred East Bengal to carry on lauching numerous attacks on the Vasco citadel.

Defender Suley Musah had a good chance from the right side of the Vasco penalty area in the 19th minute. One minute later it was the turn of defensive midfielder Mehrajuddin Wadoo who tried his luck with a long ranger.

East Bengal continued piling up the pressure and had most of the possession. They played somewhat silky football and adopted a free-flowing style in the midfield. Star Indian player Sunil Chhetri exhibited his class when he tried an audacious overhead kick in the 25th minute.

For Vasco, striker Ravashan was trying to weave some magic along Vasco's right. Vincent Pires too delivered a few decent crosses into the East Bengal penalty area. East Bengal striker Yakubu was then thought to have been brought down by goalkeeper Kattinami in the Vasco penalty area in the 32nd minute but the referee rightly decided that it was a dive and rewarded Yakubu with a yellow card.Mehtab Hossian then tried his luck from distance in the 38th minute.

The second half started in a somewhat subdued fashion as Vasco didn't quite manage to roar back and East Bengal too didn't seem to maintain the momentum in the initial stages of the second 45 minutes.

But it was the home side that had the first real chance of the second half. Chhetri hit the near post in the 55th minute from near the edge of the six yard box. East Bengal continued having more possession of the ball but didn't manage to come real close.

For Vasco, striker Ravashan did bundle the ball into the back of the net in the 67th minte but it was rightly ruled out. East Bengal immediately pressed on with Wadoo trying his luck again with a long ranger in the 70th minute.

A minute later Sunil Chhetri then had a great chance after Syed Nabi delivered a sweet cross but the Indian international striker was adjudged to be offside.

East bengal secured all three points in the 90th minute when striker Yakubu once again took advantage of a defensive lapse to tap in his and his side's second goal that saw Eaast Benagl win the match 2-0.