Bengaluru: If there was ever a doubt over East Bengal’s title credentials it was all laid to rest at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday. The table toppers outworked, out-thought and outplayed Bengaluru FC to record a 3-1 win. Robin Singh marked his return to the city with a double in front of 12,642 fans, majority of whom were showering him with abuses, after Wedson Anselme opened the scoring while CK Vineeth hit a late consolation for BFC.
EB lead the table with 24 points from 11 games while BFC are fifth with 13 points from 10 games making their possibilities for a title defence restricted to a mathematical problem. Seeking defensive stability, Albert Roca opted to go with a three-man defence, which meant Eugeneson Lyngdoh dropped to the bench, while pushing Harmanjot Khabra and Sena Ralte further forward in the wing back position. All the predicted intensity expected was present right from the first minute as both sides went for each others jugular, pressing and harrying each other across the field.
Following few half chances for either side during the initial few minutes, the visitors went ahead in the 23rd minute. Ivan Bukenya, who was a solid presence at the heart of EB defence with his pace, power and composure, beat the first press and found Anselme, another dominant force. The Haitian, who found space behind the full back on the right, powered on, cut inside a static Juanan to curl a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.
Forced to chase the game, Roca reverted back to the four-man defence, pushing Khabra into midfield in hope of preventing the travelling side from over-running the midfield, which they were doing thanks, in no small part, to Mehtab Hossain. The Kolkata side could have doubled their lead in the 39th minute had it not been for Arindam Bhattacharya’s save off Christopher Payne and Juanan’s desperate block against Robin.
At the other end, Vineeth cut in and hit the side netting sending most of the stadium into a frenzy as they hoped it was a goal. Sunil Chhetri tried his best to create chances but with Vineeth often wasteful in advanced positions and Udanta largely silenced, he was swimming against the tide. BFC made their first change at half time with Daniel Lalhlimpuia coming on for centre back Salaam Ranjan Singh. But it made little difference as Robin doubled the disparity nine minutes after the restart.
Left to his own devices on the edge of the six-yard box, the striker rose above a back pedalling defender to power home Robert Lalthlamuana’s lofted cross. Robin then drove a stake through BFC fans’ heart five minutes later when he turned in Payne’s cut back to make it 3-0. With tempers flaring, Chhetri, who hit the side netting late on with a header, was lucky to remain on the field following a tussle with Hossain, who blocked his free-kick, and having put his hand on the referee. Following a late goal, the home side did throw the kitchen sink at their opponents and went close on multiple occasions. Post match, there were some unseemly scenes on the touchline as tensions spilled over.
