Goa: SC East Bengal FC’s tough run in the Indian Super League continued, as they lost to NorthEast United 0-2 at Tilak Maidan in Vasco in Goa. Surchandra Singh scored an own goal and Rochharzela of highlanders sealed the deal for the north-eastern side. This win takes NorthEast to the second spot after four matches as they have collected eight points and for East Bengal, it’s their third straight loss of the season.
The match started well for East Bengal, as the team was playing better football than what they have showcased in the first two matches. The movement from Anthony Pilkington and Jaques Maghoma was swift and everyone expected that they will register their first-ever ISL goal.
But luck was against their side as the referee Santosh Kumar denied a penalty decision which will be the talking point of the match and against the run of play in the 33rd minute Surchandra Singh conceded an own goal against his side. This was the sign of hardness which they are having since the start of their ISL campaign.
In the second half East Bengal brought in CK Vineet in place of Balwant Singh and the team started to play better. A Pilkington shot was saved by the North-East keeper in the second half and another controversial decision went against East Bengal when Mashoor Shereef stopped a Pilkington’s shot by his hand inside the penalty box. T
his was the turning point in the match as the team lost its focus and due to fatigue they conceded the second goal through a swift NorthEast counterattack. Rochharzela finished the match by scoring the second in the 90th minute of the match and sealed the deal for his side. A day of controversy and hard luck for the newbies East Bengal ended this way. For the Highlanders, it was an only joy as it’s been their best-ever start in the ISL.
East Bengal lacked quality at the top. Pilkington and Maghoma took a lot of load but due to a lack of no.9, the finish never happens. It’s really sad to see that a man like Robbie Fowler who has scored plenty of goals as a forward in his playing career has to face criticism for not scoring a single goal till now in the ISL. It’s getting darker for the club as they are failing miserably at the top half. No doubt they played better football today but they need a proper no. 9 to win matches and most importantly to register a goal to kick start their campaign. They have to think about it.
NorthEast United FC has been good till now in this year’s ISL. Four matches eight points. Gerard Nus’s side has been prolific. Young Indian players like Rochharzela, VP Suheer, Ninthoinganba Meetei has been linking beautifully with the foreign players. It’s been good for them and we hope that they will have a good season this year.
