I-League: EB Overpower Sporting Clube

East Bengal have now moved to fourth spot with 12 points while Sporting Clube continue to be the league leaders. This result has thrown open the league table. Sporting lost only their second game after going down Churchill Brothers earlier in the season.

Junior Elijah who was in top form hit the woodwork inside the first ten minutes. This awakened East Bengal and got them initiating some good moves.

In the 14th minute as Sunil Chhetri’s scored his third in the league. Yusif Yakubu’s chip found the Indian international inside the box and made no mistakes in finding the back of the net with Felix D’Souza off his line.

The next goal didn’t take long as Syed Rahim Nabi slotted the ball home off a Mehtab Hussain cross from the right. Yakubu and Sunil missed the cross and took all the Sporting defenders with them to allow a free Nabi to score.

Sunil Chhetri laid the ball for Nabi who beat the offside trap and got the better of Sporting custodian Felix D’Souza. Sporting’s defence was in shambles and had no answer to East Bengal’s constant pressure.

The Goan side did manage to pull one back through Harmanjot Khabra in the 54th minute as headed in a Junior Elijah cross from the left.

Syed Rahim Nabi earned the Man of the Match award for his brace.

Final Score: 3-1

Goalscorers East Bengal: Sunil Chhetri (14th) and Syed Nabi (24th and 31st)

Goalscorer Sporting: Harmanjot Khabra (54th)