East Bengal 5-1 Peerless SC, CFL 2017, As it happened

East Bengal 5 (Plaza, Gabriel, Surabuddin x3) beat Peerless 1 (Nabi)

Updated: 19 August 2017 17:07 IST - Published: August, 19 2017 04:44 PM IST

That's all from us here. Stay tuned for more CFL 2017 action as the season progresses. East Bengal have leapfrogged Mohun Bagan to the top of the table for the moment.

What a display of attacking football by EB in the second half. A couple of inspired substitutions in the second half were vindicated as Khalid Jamil's men are well on course for another dominating CFL campaign Just like in the first game against NBP Rainbow, EB found another goalscoring hero in the form of Surabuddin Mollick.

Full-time: East Bengal 5-1 Peerless

90+5' Khalid Jamil got his substitutions spot-on today. Surabuddin Mollick gave a fine exhibition of his goalscoring ability today with a 20-minute hat-trick.

90+3' Surabuddin wraps up things with his hat-trick. He becomes the 2nd EB player to score a hat-trick this CFL season after VP Suhair. What an impact by the 24-year-old.

90+3' GOOOOOAAAAALLLL EAST BENGAL!!

90+2' Yami with an attempt which is blocked and sets Peerless on the counter attack. Atinder Mani, in a one-v-one situation, pulls his effort wide of Barreto's goal.

90+1' 5 minutes of time added on.

90' We are in the final minute of regulation time as Peerless get a free kick inside the EB half but nothing comes out of it.

88' Brandon goes off for Yami Longvah. Can another substitute score for EB?

87' Samad's low cross from the right almost reaches Plaza for a tap-in but Toure in the Peerless defence deflects it wide. EB are in cruise control with less than 3 minutes of regulation time remaining.

84' Surabuddin has been a menace ever since he came on in the second half. Here he almost directed a header into the net. He has five minutes plus stoppage time to complete his hat-trick.

82' Jamil's men have done well to rack up the goals on this paddy field of a pitch today. His substitutions have worked today with Gabriel and Surabuddin opening the floodgates. EB are well on course to maintain their perfect CFL 2017 record. It's 4-1 EB right now.

80' Surabuddin takes on two Peerless defenders but his left-footed shot is a tame one, straight into Surjay's hands. Peerless have completely disintegrated as a defensive unit.

79' It's becoming a procession for EB now. Peerless have completely capitulated in the second half, particularly in the last five minutes. The Red and Golds are not letting up yet. They want more goals.

77' Another goal in quick succession for Surabuddin as horrific defending by Peerless is punished by the substitute. The youngster is now on a hat-trick.

77' GOOOOOAAAALLLL EAST BENGAL!

75' Surabuddin with another set-piece goal for EB which all but seals the win. EB 3-1 Peerless. It all came about after Al Amna and Gabriel earned the free-kick deep inside the Peerless half and the resulting delivery was glanced goalwards by Surabuddin.

74' GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL EAST BENGAL

74' EB are pressing for another goal here. The Red and Golds are far from letting up after going ahead and goalscorer Gabriel has now earned a free kick deep inside the Peerless half.

73' East Bengal lead 2-1 with less than 20 minutes to go.

71' What a gaffe from Surjay from an EB corner as Gabriel Fernandes nods the ball into an empty net. That must be a relief for Khalid Jamil.

71' GOOOAAAALLLLL EAST BENGAL

69' Dodoz is waging a lone battle up front for Peerless here as the away team put men behind the ball to keep EB from scoring.

68' Another jinking run by Brandon but his cross with the weaker left-foot evades every EB player in the Peerless box. The Red and Golds need to improve their end product in these atrocious conditions.

66' Atinder Mani, who has just replaced Kishku, fires in an effort from a Peerless counter attack and fails to trouble Barreto in the EB goal. Dodoz, Peerless' lone striker is the only man inside the EB half at the moment. That shows the amount of pressure the defending champions are putting.

65' Plaza is brought down at the edge of the Peerless box. Big chance for EB to score from the free kick as Al Amna lines up an effort.

The Syrian, however, crosses the ball in and Surjay deals with it yet again.

64' Great save by Peerless' Surjay as Surabuddin almost scores with an angled effort to the far right-hand corner of the goal. However, the Peerless 'keeper stands up to the challenge and makes a brilliant save. EB are upping the ante now.

63' Chance for EB as Brandon takes matters into his own hands before unleashing what could be said to be a tame effort.

61' Another substitution for EB as Suhair is taken off for Gabriel.

59' Anil Kishku with a shooting chance for Peerless but his shot is wayward and doesn't trouble Barreto in the EB goal. It's an open affair this one.

58' Peerless have identified the over-aggressiveness of Chullova on East Bengal's left and tried to exploit that but the pitch conditions mean that no more than three passes could be strung together.

58' Substitution for East Bengal as Danmawia is replaced by Surabuddin.

55' Brilliant bit of play from Al Amna after an East Bengal ball recovery in the Peerless half. The Syrian midfielder bamboozled the Peerless left-back but his cross wasn't met by the waiting Plaza and Suhair. Another chance goes begging for the Red and Golds.

55' Peerless have gone forward in the last few minutes but the duo of Gurwinder and Mitchell have dealt well with any aerial threat.

52' Corner for East Bengal and Plaza's headed attempt is wide of the target. Difficult conditions here at the East Bengal ground for those who want to see free-flowing football.

50' A patchy, muddy ground has forced East Bengal to go direct as soon as they get the ball wide. Right-back Samad has two crosses in the space of seconds cleared by the Peerless defence.

48' Chance for Peerless!

The away side nearly take the lead after a fine run from their number 10, but the shot at the end is parried for a corner by Barreto.

47' East Bengal are having the ball in the early stages of the 2nd half. But the ground conditions aren't helping them impose their superior technical football on Peerless. It's 1-1.

46' And we are underway in the 2nd half.

At halftime, both teams are level with the scoreline reading 1-1. Stay tuned for further updates as the second half starts in a while.

45+8' - Mitchell!!

Nearly. The man who scored a brace in EB's last game got his head to the ball swung in from Al Amna. But the direction on that was not that great. Blazed wide of the mark.

45+7' - East Bengal get another free-kick and in fact a yellow flashed for a Peerless player.

45+6' - Gurwinder with a long punt from a FK at the back. The target here was Willis Plaza but that is over the Trinidadian and out for a GK.

45+5' - Peerless have looked really sharp and this has so far been East Bengal's biggest test so far.

45+3' - Ball floated in from the corner by Al Amna but that is well cleared by Peerless.

45+2' - EB finally get the ball off of the Peerless midfield and play it out to Brandon on the right. And EB gets a corner from that.

45+1'- East Bengal trying to put pressure on the Peerless backline who trying to play it out from the back rather than hack it clear.

45' - Another ball over the top from the back for EB. That skids off the pitch and straight into the hands of the Peerless keeper.

44' - WIDE!

Ball played in from the right by Al Amna. Chullova gets his head to the ball but his timing on the jump is off and that means the ball is skied and wide of the target.

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