COIMBATORE (India): East Bengal bounced back into winning mode with a 2-0 away victory over defending champions Chennai City in the I-League on Saturday.
Second-half goals by Spanish attackers Marcos Jimenez Espada and Man of the Match Jaimie Santos Colado helped them break the three-match defeat streak.
The red and gold brigade under their interim coach Bastab Roy were on the go right from the kick off.
Mirshad got his first game of the season under the QEB bar and had a very good day in the office, while Asheer Akhtar in the heart of the defence built up on the potential he had already shown earlier in the league.
Mizo winger Brandon Vanlalremdika also got a first start of the season and before he was replaced in the 66th minute.
Marti Crespi, Pintu Mahata and Lalthuammawia Ralte were the ones to miss out.
Akbar Nawas also made three changes to his starting XI, bringing in young Swiss recruit Jan Mazangu, Pravitto Raju and Shem Marton on for Tarif Akhand, Ajith Kumar and Sriram.
The first chance of the game went to Chennai’s Spanish striker Adolfo ‘Fito’ Araujo.
While Chennai dominated possession in the first half, QEB clearly had far better chances to score, one of them a missed penatly by Colado after the ball was handled inside the box. Nauzet Santana brought off a first of many good saves in goal on the day.
At least on three other occassions in the half, QEB found themselves one-on-one with the keeper but each time came up with newer ways to miss.
Brandon missed a couple, one off a wonderful Espada through ball on a QEB counter with Santana again coming out brilliantly to thwart the dimunitive Mizo.
Colado, in the 35th, inexplicably saw his lob sail over Santana and the cross-bar and minutes later Juan Mera missed another golden opportunity. (Source: AIFF)
