East Bengal humiliate Bagan in derby NFL tie 3-1

Kolkata, Apr 8 (UNI) Baichung Bhuita, Shylo Malswnthulanga and Gauranga Dutta struck one each in the second half to give East Bengal a vital 3-1 win over arch rivals Mohan Bagan in the second leg match of the 10th ONGC National Football League here today.

The win pushed the gold-yellow outfit further up in the league table with 24 points from 11 matches.

Bagan, which had good outings in the last four matches with all wins, received a set back in the 29th minutes when medio Dharamjit Singh was red-carded by the referee after hitting Jayanta Sen off the ball, that gave a decisive edge to East Bengal.

After the barren first half, East Bengal's captain Bhutia sent a right footer that beat Subrata Pal in the 48th minute to put his team one up. Pal, who valiantly saved a pile driver from Alvito D'Cunha, was defeated on the second attempt.

The goal gave Bhutia nine goals in the tournament.

East Bengal increased their lead when D'Cunnha supplied to Shylo, who made no mistake hitting ball into net in the 62nd minute.

As clock ticked on towards the end, Bagan reduced the mergin with substitute Mehtab Hussain receiving a cross from Kofi to hit a grounder defeating Naseem Akhtar under his legs in the 72nd minute.

Hussain came in place of Uttam Sarkar.

East Bengal humiliated their traditional rivals pumping their third goal just before two minutes before the end. Gauranga Dutta scored after a goalmouth melee.

D'Cunha was declared man-of-the-match.

The defeat means Bagan bagged 17 points in the last twelve matches.

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