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The young Indian Arrows side hosted league leaders East Bengal on a cool Tuesday afternoon at the Dr. Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi.
In what was the first I-League match of 2018, East Bengal registered a 2-0 win over the Arrows. Mahmoud Al Amna put the Red and Golds in the lead through a freekick early in the first half. Then, three minutes later, Katsumi Yusa doubled the lead with a cheeky finish.
However, in contrary to what the scoreline might suggest, it was not a very comfortable victory for East Bengal as the Indian youngsters stepped up their game in the second half and pressurized the away team. In the end, though, the visitors managed to cater home three points.
Here are the talking points from the match:
#5 Arrows miss Dheeraj Singh in goal
Indian Arrows head coach Luis Norton de Matos was clearly frustrated at losing a key player like Dheeraj Singh midway through the I-League. The 17-year-old goalkeeper had left the Arrows ahead of their encounter against a mighty East Bengal to pursue his career in Europe.
Dheeraj had followed up his superb performances at the U-17 World Cup with some impressive showings in the I-League. His decision to leave the club had left De Matos disappointed and unimpressed and in his absence, Punjab-born Prabhsukan Gill was named in goal.
While Gill grew into the game and made a couple of decent stops in the second half, Dheeraj was clearly missed when Al Amna scored the opener in the 13th minute and during the several other nervous moments in the first half.
#4 Al Amna scores opener from freekick
Al Amna was East Bengal’s star man yet again, stitching together exquisite passes, dancing past the opposition defenders time and again and, more importantly, scoring the opening goal of the game.
The league leaders had started the match on a positive note, threatening the home team’s defence right from the early stages and soon, they got a freekick on the left-hand side of the penalty box.
It was a tight angle and as Amna stepped up to take the freekick, no one fancied him to score directly. However, the dynamic midfielder saw the gap at the near post, which Gill should have had covered, and struck fiercely. The young goalkeeper could do nothing once the freekick was hit and even though he tried to scamper across and fist the ball out, it was not enough.
#3 Katsumi Yusa doubles the lead in the first half
Just three minutes after Amna had scored the first goal for East Bengal, he was at it again driving through the right flank. After taking on a couple of Arrows’ defenders, the midfielder, who was named the Man of the Match, delivered a low cross into the box.
At first, Amna’s cross seemed a harmless one as it went past the East Bengal forwards. However, the ever-dangerous Katsumi Yusa was lurking on the edge of the box. He met the ball with acres of space inside the box.
The Japanese had one look at Gill, who was making his I-League debut, and saw that the goalkeeper was way off his line. He then dinked the ball in such a manner that it would curl into the top-right corner to compound Arrows’ problems.
#2 Arrows hold firm in the second half
The Arrows were pressing high up the pitch right from the kickoff but in absence of skipper Amarjit Singh Kiyam and Jeakson Singh, they failed to take control in the midfield in the first half. The young side was being easily outmuscled in the middle of the park.
This prompted De Matos to take off Abhishek Haldar and bring on Suresh Singh Wangjam in his place at the halfway mark. The switch worked wonders as the youngsters came out firing in the second period.
Nongdamba Naorem and Rahul Kannooly’s introductions, later on, injected more pace and intent in the Arrows’ attack but clear-cut chances were hard to come by. Defensively, as well, the young team grew more in confidence and managed to keep the scoreline 2-0.
#1 East Bengal extend lead at the top of the table
It was an exciting match, with the Arrows showing some promise in the second half. However, in the end, East Bengal lodged three important points. With this win, they now sit pretty at the top of the table with 17 points from eight matches.
Minerva and NEROCA are second and third with 13 and 11 points, respectively, from six matches. Minerva do have the opportunity to leapfrog the Red and Golds if they manage to win their upcoming matches. Mohun Bagan are fifth with 10 points from six games.
Meanwhile, Amna was stretchered off in the dying minutes after what looked like he had pulled his hamstring. If the injury is serious, it will be a big blow to East Bengal’s title hopes, having already lost Willis Plaza to a suspected hamstring injury.
