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What's the story?
East Bengal lost vital points again as they were held 2-2 by a spirited Minerva Punjab FC side on Tuesday afternoon at the Barasat Stadium. Unhappy with the result, the passionate supporters of the home team gathered in the front of the main gate and expressed their anger. In reply, East Bengal coach Khalid Jamil pleaded the fans to have patience and keep faith on the players.
In case you didn't know...
Minerva Punjab FC drew first blood in the match when Sukhdev Singh found the back of the net in the 20th minute. Bhutanese wonder-boy Chencho doubled the lead in the 33rd minute.
East Bengal equalised the first goal by virtue of a Jobby Justin header in the 59th minute and Brandon made it 2-2 in the final minutes of regulation play. East Bengal could have grabbed full points from the tie if Katsumi Yusa hadn’t missed from the spot in the 50th minute.
The heart of the matter
Followers of teams like East Bengal always expect their team to give their 100 percent and win the League, but they have been disappointed this season. “Go back Khalid Jamil” chants were heard following the match from numerous fans who assembled at the stadium.
“Have patience and keep faith on the players. They are giving their 100% and the results will come in the future days,” said Khalid Jamil when asked whether he has any message to the supporters of East Bengal.
What's next?
East Bengal is scheduled to play Indian Arrows in their next encounter at home, which is expected to be a cakewalk for them. But following that, they will travel to Punjab for their away fixture with the league leaders. Frankly, if East Bengal wants to keep their title dreams alive, the next two matches are must-win for them.
Author's take
After a good spell of play during the mid-season, the red and gold have been losing points on a regular basis. The Derby loss was more than unbearable and the draw against Minerva Punjab added salt to their wounds. Now, the gap between the Minerva Punjab FC and the others has increased and it is unlikely that there will be other contenders for the title.
