Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan registered contrasting results on the opening day of the new I-League season Saturday.
East Bengal rode on Mexican recruit Enrique Esqueda's brace to beat hosts Neroca FC 2-0 at the Khuman Lampak stadium, Imphal while Mohun Bagan played out a 1-1 draw with Gokulam Kerala FC at EMS Corporation stadium, Kozhikode.
In the second match of the day, Neroca dominated possession but their opponents looked always in control particularly with Esqueda's early strike in the 10th minute of the match to get them on their way. Esqueda doubled the lead through a penalty in early second-half to seal the deal for the Kolkata giants.
The game between the fourth-placed Kolkata side and second-placed Neroca from last year's edition, gave enough evidence of the quality the two sides possess but the day belonged to East Bengal, who logged full points on what would have been a satisfactory display for newly appointed Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia.
The home team incidentally also had a new Spanish coach and Manuel Fraile opted to start with a flat 4-4-2 formation as was expected.
With the hosts down early, the otherwise quality game saw some needless frayed tempers through the game.
Katsumi was clearly the target of some needle and in all three players including Eduardo Ferriera, Singham Subash and Manoj got themselves booked in the three flare-ups which happened across the two-halves.
The home team lost Katsumi to injury just before the end of the first half to further dent their plans.
Neroca had the lion's share of possession through the game but could not create enough clear chances.
Midfielder Malemngamba Meetei was guilty of missing their best chance in the 25th minute when off a wonderful ball by Katsumi Yusa out to the left flank, Singham Subash floated a cross which Rakshit Dagar in East Bengal goal made heavy weather of.
Malemn on the rebound with the goalkeeper down and out, essayed a feeble effort which was saved on the goaline by Yami Longwah.
East Bengal were clearly looking happy to sit back on the lead however, the threat of Esqueda kept rearing itself up when in the 42nd minute he found Yami in the clear inside the box with a delectable lob, but the youngster could not reap rewards.
Then in the injury time, he latched on to a blooper by Rojen Meetei in the Neroca defence and struck across the goal from far beating the goalkeeper but missing the target.
He was not to be denied in the 48th minute however, when Ralte was adjudjed to be brought down inside the box by Denechandram Meetei. The Mexican converted with a powerful strike.
Eduardo, in the 73rd minute, had Neroca's best chance of the half, when he executed a perfect central defender's header off a corner, but the powerful strike caught Esqueda's leg and sailed over the bar.
Coach Fraile even tried his luck with Ronald Singh who had come off the bench a couple of times last season to score but could not find the target this time.
Hero of the match Esqueda was deservedly given a break in the dying minutes of injury time and East Bengal came off deserving winners.
At Kozhikode, Lalchhawnkima's own goal in the second half cancelled out Ugandan striker Henry Kisekka's header for Bagan in the 41st minute, as match three of the 12th I-League ended in a draw at full time.
Gokulam began with a flurry of attacks with Mudde Mussa creating an opening early but Bagan were the stronger outfit in the first quarter of an hour with the first attempt coming from Egyptian Husseiney and Ugandan Kisekka.
Bagan eventually took the lead in the 41st minute, when Arijit Bagui floated a free-kick inside the box, which met with Kisekka perfectly and his angled-header beat Shibinraj at the far post to hand the away side the lead.
Then there was a drama at both ends in the 42nd minute. First, Dipanda Dicka unleashed a brilliant run inside the box taking out two defenders and his well-placed shot brought about a great save from Shibinraj but landed at the feet of an onrushing Kisekka who failed to control his effort.
Then English born Antonio German, on the counter, found himself one to one with the goalkeeper, but with the pressure from an onrushing defender, he shot straight from just outside the box, into the diving clutches of Roy.
Gokulam began the second half with a sense of urgency and in particular, the introduction of Rajesh in place of under-22 Gani Nigam, saw the hosts turn the possession and dominance tables completely.
Gokulam were eventually rewarded for their enterprise when in a comedy of errors inside the box earned them the equaliser.
Roy's weak punch to clear a cross found Arjun Jayaraj heading towards goal. In the process, Kinsley cleared it but it struck Kim Kima on the rebound and went in to send the 28 thousand-odd crowd into a delirium.
Mohun Bagan's only clear chance of the half came in injury time when Dicka's header in the 92nd minute went wide.
Coach Shankarlal rang in the changes and brought in William Lalnunfella, veteran Mehtab Hussain and even rested Hnery Kisekka in the end for the last throw of the dice with Azharuddin Mallick, but to no avail.
In the season's first match, Chennai City FC outplayed a young Indian Arrows side 4-1 thanks to Pedro Manzis hat-trick.
(IANS)
