Federation Cup: East Bengal Win The Federation Cup As Lajong Suffer Penalty Heartbreak

120 minutes of open play ended goalless, but East Bengal held their nerve in the shootout...

03-Jan-2010 7:38:17 PM

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Federation Cup Final, Lajong FC Vs East Bengal (Mango Peel)

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Federation Cup Final, Lajong FC Vs East Bengal (Mango Peel)

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East Bengal 3(0) - Shillong Lajong 0(0)
Federation Cup Fixtures/Results

East Bengal overcame all their problems throughout this season to win the Federation Cup in Guwahati on Sunday, beating a spirited and depleted Shillong Lajong side 3-0 on penalties to regain the trophy, that too without conceding a goal in the entire tournament. The game ended goalless after Extra Time, but Yusif Yakubu, Nirmal Chettri, and Sanju Pradhan scored in the shooutout to give East Bengal the win. Lajong failed to convert any of their three penalties.

Shillong Lajong, who were forced to start without Daniel Bedemi and James Giblee due to suspensions, brought in Zohmingliana and Roland in place of them, while East Bengal had to make one change, bringing back Harmanjot Khabra in place of the injured Alvito D'Cunha.

The match started with both sides trying to figure each other out, but East Bengal were setting the pace. The Kolkatans, who had the physical advantage, imposed themselves on the game, not allowing Lajong to settle in midfield.

Harmanjot Khabra was seeing a lot of the ball on the left flank, and he was presented the first chance of the game, as he sent his free header at the near post wide in the 13th minute. The Lajong strikers were forced to feed on bits and pieces, as their midfield wasn't performing as well as they would have liked, due to East Bengal winning the physical battle.

It was Harmanjot who was involved once more as East Bengal came close to scoring in the 29th minute. He pounced onto a loose ball inside the box on the right, cut it back onto his left foot, and volleyed it towards the far post, but it whizzed just past the woodwork. Yakubu tried to get his head onto it just before it went past, but missed.

The Ghanaian wasn't allowed a lot of space in the first half, but in the 36th minute, the Lajong defence backed off as he ran towards goal and struck a superb shot from 25 yards, but Gumpe Rime tipped the ball over the bar.

Tuboi and Gurung ran hard, but failed to create anything until the half time whistle was sounded, with the score still goalless.

It was more of the same in the second half, although Lajong didn't tire as much as much as East Bengal would have thought, as they continued to close them down whenever they got into attacking positions. Also, any ball chased by Tuboi or Gurung continued to cause panic in the East Bengal defence.

One such long ball bounced towards the East Bengal penalty area in the 57th minute, and Nirmal Chhetri couldn't connect with a defensive header. Tuboi and Gurung both tried to run in to take advantage, but Uga Okpara raced in to clear with his head.

Three minutes later, Nabi wasted a big chance for East Bengal, as he rose highest at Sanju Pradhan's corner, and with Gumpe Rime in no man's land, he headed the ball over the bar.

In the 65th minute, Harmanjot Khabra received his second chance of the game, as he was left unmarked at a free kick, but he headed the ball upwards instead of towards goal, and Gumpe Rime collected easily.

East Bengal continued to dominate, as two minutes later, Mehtab struck his 25-yarder sweetly from Harmanjot's layoff, and Gumpe Rime had to palm the ball wide, as it came through a crowd of players. Going into the final quarter of the 90 minutes,
East Bengal looked stronger, but it was Lajong who came up with a few moments that looked to seal the game late on.

In the 82nd minute, East Bengal failed to clear a free kick well, and the ball fell to Samson 8 yards out, who had his back to goal. However, as he turned to shoot, it allowed the defence time to get back into position, and his shot was deflected out.

Four minutes later, it was that man Tuboi again, who outjumped Abhra Mondal to get to a floating cross from the left, but his header under pressure went wide of the post, sending the match into extra time with the score still goalless.

The first half of extra time saw Lajong look much more comfortable on the ball, and East Bengal couldn't come up with much in front of goal. Bhaichung Bhutia looked more for free kicks than chances, but the referee wasn't on the same page as he refused to blow the whistle each time. Yakubu, too, wasn't effective as he looked tired and came up with a few weak shots on goal.

The second half of extra time was more of the same, but East Bengal fortuitously created a chance in the 111th minute, but Gumpe Rime saved well. Yakubu was dispossessed inside the box, and the ball was cleared by Lajong. However, it only fell to Harmanjot outside the box, whose shot was fired straight at Yakubu, who then got up and got his shot away from a tight angle, but the Lajong glovesman did well to parry the shot away, and send the game into penalties.

The lottery of the shootout began with Yusif Yakubu calmly slotting home, but Anil Gurung had his spotkick saved by Abhra Mondal to give the Kolkatans the advantage. Gumpe Rime got a hand to Nirmal Chettri's penalty, but couldn't keep it out, and Samson had his effort saved wonderfully by Abhra Mondal, as East Bengal took a 2-0 lead.

Harmanjot Khabra was next, but his powerful shot ricocheted out off the crossbar, giving Lajong some hope, but Kryshan Lyngshing's weak penalty was saved easily by Abhra Mondal again.

Sanju Pradhan then stepped up to win it for his side, and win it he did, as he chipped the ball into the back of the net ever so coolly, sending Gumpe Rime the wrong way, and bringing the joy back to Red and Gold half of Kolkata after a long time.

Goalscorers (Penalty Shootout):

East Bengal - Yusif Yakubu, Nirmal Chettri, Sanju Pradhan

Atishay Agarwal

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