The Hindu : Sport / Football : East Bengal posts win

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 26, 2005

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Sport - Football

East Bengal posts win

Amitabha Das Sharma

KOLKATA: Kingfisher East Bengal had a consolation win when it avenged its away loss to Turkmenistan visitor Nebitchi FC with a 3-2 verdict in the concluding Group A league match for the AFC Cup at the Salt Lake stadium here on Wednesday. The city giant had lost by a similar margin when visiting the latter's home in Balkanbad three months ago.

Striker Earnest Jeremiah had reasons to celebrate. The Nigerian fulfilled his job as striker and scored a hat-trick to give East Bengal its second win in the tournament. There were many more scoring opportunities but the host seemed reluctant to avail all of them in the face of a feeble visitor that hardly showed the resolve or resources to make an effective challenge. The searing heat and humidity of the summer afternoon appeared to have sapped the energy of the Eurasian visitor.

With this win East Bengal improved its points' tally to seven but not sufficient enough to overtake Nebitchi on eight. Al Faysali of Jordan, on 11 points from five matches, ensured the top spot and a quarterfinal berth.

First goal

East Bengal shot into the lead in the 28th minute when Jeremiah, thriving on a nicely set provision from midfield colleague Climax Lawrence, finished the move with an angled grounder. Instead of fielding its complete squad of 18 players, the visitor listed only 12 players and when one of its midfielders, Garahnov Geldimyrat, came off complaining of giddiness it had no option but to utilise its only substitution option, specialist goalkeeper Bazarov Farhat. This lulled the host into complacency and the equaliser resulted soon after the break. It was the unlikely striker, Farhat, who scored the 52nd minute leveller to everyone's surprise.

The sudden strike shook the host out of its stupor and it started retracing the attack routes. It was only a matter of time before East Bengal realised the lead again. It came in the 57th minute with Jeremiah doing the finishing act again. With East Bengal showing great sharpness and imagination in midfield, the third goal followed soon as Jeremiah completed his hat-trick in the 63rd minute. The host paid the price of letting things a bit too loose as Nebitchi reduced the margin in the 87th minute, when forward Arazov Hojaamet gained from a slip in the opponent's defence to make its 3-2.

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