'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
East Bengal had to witness some nervous moments before they scraped past Real Kashmir 2-1 to keep themselves in the title race, at least for a day. Real Kashmir are now out of race after suffering their third defeat of the campaign at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday, 28th February.
Chennai City could win the title tomorrow if they beat Churchill Brothers. Chennai would reach to 43 points, a number which even East Bengal can’t match even if win rest of their two matches. The Red and Golds are now on 2nd position with 36 points from 18 matches. Real Kashmir remained on 33 points from the same number of matches, though a decision is pending on the court regarding their match against Minerva Punjab.
Enrique Esqueda broke the deadlock 20th minute, heading home Laldanmawia Ralte’s cross. Jaime Santos increased the lead for East Bengal in the 43rd minute. Aaron Katebe reduced the margin in the 67th minute from the spot.
Let us look at the major talking points of the game.
#3 Esqueda-Santos scores in the absence of Jobby Justin
For the first time this season, East Bengal fielded a side which didn’t have Jobby Justin. The Keralite was handed a suspension that could increase further, just a few days ago. So, Real Kashmir match was an acid test for East Bengal about how they cope up the absence of Justin when it comes to scoring a goal. Thankfully, it was their trusted guards Enrique Esqueda and Jamie Santos who took over the goal-scoring mantle.
This East Bengal team have more prolific goal scorers other than Justin. For example, both Laldanmawia Ralte and Esqueda had found the net seven times before this match. Santos, on the other hand, scored two goals. On a day the team demanded more from them, Esqueda and Santos passed the test successfully.
It was the Mexican striker who broke the deadlock in the 20th minute. Laldanmawia Ralte got a beautiful through ball on the right side and perfectly crossed it to Esqueda, who was unmarked. The Mexican met the ball with precision. This was the second time that Laldanmawia provided an assist.
Esqueda then turned to be the assist provider when he crossed it for Santos. The young Spaniard jumped to stroke the ball past Bilal Khan.
East Bengal will need to depend on these people for the rest of the two matches in their campaign, and also for the Super Cup if Justin’s suspension increased.
#2 Despite one man down, Real Kashmir put up a valiant display
It was a different ‘home’ game for the Real Kashmir. Instead of a packed house amid freezing cold in the TRC Stadium in Srinagar, Kashmir were forced to play in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi, the home of Indian Super League team Delhi Dynamos. Though there were few people voicing for them from the stands, it was never enough to boost their confidence.
Real Kashmir were forced to take the back seat against the incessant attacks from the visitors. East Bengal were in firm control of the match and soon they got the lead. Real Kashmir, which conceded the least number of goals amongst all teams, conceded twice in the first half and on both occasions, the defenders will be blamed. They were clearly out of their position and let the goals in too easily.
Their misery compounded when Abednego Tetteh got the red card for a completely unnecessary challenge on Johnny Acosta. As Gnohere Krizo was on the bench, it was all up to Mason Robertson to reduce the margin.
Down to two goals and ten men, the task was never easy for them but somehow Real Kashmir took the field with a different approach. Instead of holding the ball, they played some quick passes to make attacks. Mason reached the goalmouth twice and could’ve scored from a horrendous mistake by Kassim Aidara had he not missed the target.
Real Kashmir ultimately reduced the margin from the spot but the equaliser remained elusive.
#1 Dreadful performance in the 2nd half could’ve brought danger for East Bengal
It was a game for of two halves for East Bengal. To keep them in the title race at least for a day, they had to win the match. The red and golds eventually achieved it only after going through some nervous moments.
East Bengal’s produced a dominant performance in the first half. They never gave an inch to their opponents and every move could’ve easily turned into a goal. Their possession was brilliant and used the wing-play intelligently. Both the goals in this half were the production of their swift passes.
Probably being over confident with the result, the second half started badly for East Bengal. Ritwik Kumar Das, who came on as a substitute in the 2nd half, started creating problems in the East Bengal defence. Farhan Ganie was introduced soon after which allowed Mason to operate more freely. Suddenly Real Kashmir got an upper hand in the game, despite playing with a man less.
East Bengal made too many mispasses. There was no real movement and they lost their grip in the midfield. Rakshit Dagar made a blunder by fouling Bazie Armand inside the box. On two occasions, East Bengal could’ve conceded. Firstly, Borja made a mistake but Ritwik couldn’t inflict any damage. Then Mason’s shot went just wide after intercepting a poor back pass of Aidara.
There was no sharpness in East Bengal’s game and rather than creating chances, they concentrated more on the ball, which brought danger quite a few times.
