Guwahati: East Bengal FC broke their winless streak in Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season to edge past NorthEast United FC. Cleiton Silva scored the opener in the 11th minute. Charis Kyriakou scored the security goal followed by Jordan O’Doherty (84’) to ensure three points from the match. However, Matt Doherty (90+2′) scored a consolation goal to open the Highlanders’ goal account this season.
A clinical @eastbengal_fc clinch their first win of the #HeroISL 2022-23 season! 🙌#NEUEBFC #LetsFootball #NorthEastUnitedFC #EastBengalFC pic.twitter.com/KitcGJ7wOh
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) October 20, 2022
Both the teams took a while to find the pace in the game with the first attack coming from Cleiton Silva. Silva smashed a volley from range at NorthEast United goal in the 10th minute. Nevertheless, Silva had to wait long to find his name on the scoresheet. A minute later, Mahesh Naorem Singh made a diligent footwork to pinch it and laid it to Silva, who made no mistake with his finish.
NorthEast United held the ball for more but failed to make any chance out of it. East Bengal FC had a rock solid defense. In the 31st minute, NorthEast United coach Balbul brought in Emil Benny and Aaron Evans on for Romain Philippoteaux and Mohamed Irshad. The Highlanders were looking to create some chances.
Moments before the first-half, Emil Benny made a speculative effort from a rebound of Matt Derbyshire. But the shot was off-target, thus ending the first-half with East Bengal taking the lead.
East Bengal started the second-half with more soeed. Within eight minutes of the second-half, they went to 2-0. Suhair Vadakkepeedika set up a an onrushing Charis Kyriakou for a bending strike from the edge of the box.
Suhair had been causing NorthEast United FC problems prior to the goal, getting close to scoring twice himself. It looked like he’d set up Thongkhosiem Haokip four minutes later with a driven cross from the right, which Haokip backheeled to put East Bengal FC 3-0 up, but the goal was ruled offside. East Bengal FC were fairly dominant in the early parts of the second half.
.@eastbengal_fc players applaud the traveling fans for their amazing support! 🙌🤩#NEUEBFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball #EastBengalFC pic.twitter.com/PVBbdl7ncF
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) October 20, 2022
NorthEast United FC pushed more players forward, but the risk ultimately paid off. East Bengal FC finished the game in his 84th minute, thanks to a quick substitution when Mobasir Rahman set up Jordan his Odherty and easily converted chances. The score was 3:0 for him and the game was pretty open.
Northeast United FC finally started the scoring tally for the season, two minutes after he started stoppage time in the second half. It was again a combination between Benny and Derbyshire, who scored a header almost off the post from a perfect corner. It was too little and too late for Northeast United FC.
