ISL 2024-25: East Bengal FC Beat NorthEast United FC For First Win – News18

Last Updated:November 29, 2024, 21:45 IST

East Bengal FC defeated NorthEast United FC 1-0 for their first win in the 2024-25 Indian Super League.

East Bengal FC defeated NorthEast United FC 1-0 for their first win in the 2024-25 Indian Super League at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday.

The Red and Gold brigade could have scored in the first minute itself but PV Vishnu’s close-range poke from Jeakson Singh’s cross was saved by Gurmeet Singh instinctively.

Dimitriois Diaminatakos was felled in the third minute prompting Mahdi Talal to step up. His free-kick was pushed wide acrobatically by Gurmeet.

The Highlanders had a golden chance to take the lead and that was against the flow of the game in the 12th minute. A long ball out from the back saw Jithin MS comfortably beating Lalchununga in the foot race. Prabhsukhan Gill was slow to react but his Jithin’s cut back to Pathib Gogoi was fumbled by the Indian forward. He took an extra touch which meant the rest of the East Bengal defenders had recovered.

A minute later Parthib did well to bounce Alaaeddine Ajaraie’s pass back to him but his shot was inches wide of the upright. Prabhsukhan was rooted to his spot.

It was East Bengal who took the lead in the 23rd with the constant pressure finally paying off. The ball bounced in around the six-yard box following a corner. The ball at the feet of Diaminatakos, whose snapshot was cleared only as far as Tala at the other end of the box. His dink back in was met by a creeping Diaminatakos headed the ball into the back of the net, past a dying Gurmeet.

NorthEast United needed an answer and counted on their counters to do the trick. Come the 38th minute, Buanthanglun Samte’s cross from the left wing was met by Ajaraie but his header rattled the crossbar and even though he reacted the quickest, his improvised kick bounced wide.

As the first half trickled to a close, Parthib had long-range effort just palmed away by Prabhsukhan.

Lalchununga went into the referee’s book for lunging at Jithin MS’s feet.

At the restart, Juan Pedro Benali made a couple of changes. Parthib and Nestor Albiach made way for Guillermo Fernandez and Macarton Nickson.

NorthEast substitutes tried their luck from distance but the score remained in East Bengal’s favour, when Oscar Bruzon decided to make a change of his own-Jeakson off for Provat Lakra just after the hour mark.

PV Vishnu almost won a penalty but Bekey Oram’s infraction just outside the box. The referee awarded a yellow card though. A flight broke out in the aftermath, taking the temperature of the contest up a few degrees. Mohammed Ali Bemammer and Saul Crespo saw yellows for their involvement in the tussle.

Even though nothing came from the resulting free-kick, NorthEast United were quickly down to 10. Bemammer was shown a second yellow card and was sent off in the 69th.

Down a man and a goal, East Bengal looked comfortable to sit back with a back five and let the visitors chase a result.

Complacency set in as Lalchununga lunged after Ajaraie had passed leaving the referee no choice but to reach into his pockets again. A second yellow and another red card. It was back to same number of men on either side in the 87th.

Despite eight minutes of added time and multiple chances, the fans had readied their torches in the stand. The final whistle was all that was left for them to be lit. With their first win this season, the fire burned bright.