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East Bengal downs Sana’a

Principal Correspondent

Marques nets the winner

— PHOTO: SUSHANTA PATRONOBISH

TIGHT MARKING: Gamal Al-Qudaimi (right) of Ahli Sana’a (Yemen) tries to stop East Bengal attacker Debabrata Roy.

KOLKATA: Kingfisher East Bengal made the most of playing at home to down Yemen’s Ahli Sana’a and brighten its chances in the AFC Cup.

In the second round of the Group B league encounter here at the Salt Lake Stadium East Bengal was tactically superior.

East Bengal was on the back foot having lost its first round match to Safaa SC in Beirut. The win at home now put it back on the rails in the continental club championship.

Three points

With three points in its kitty East Bengal joined Safaa, which is on top of the four-team group. Safaa however, has played a match less.

East Bengal, which in the words of its coach Aloke Mukherjee, had paid for missing too many chances in the previous match, got its strategy right against Ahli Sana’a. The home side worked out different formations to crack through an overtly defensive opposition. The Ahli Sana’a defence finally wilted late in the first session.

Finishing touch

Edmilson Marques, inconspicuous for most part of the match with his lethargic approach, came alive in the 34th minute. He put the finishing touch on a chance resulting from a slip in the opposition defence.

Sana’a libero Ahmed Ibrahim Kellil made a clumsy block to a volley from East Bengal midfielder Ikechukwu Gift and ended up deflecting the ball to Edmilson.

The Brazilian striker pounced on the chance and punched in a powerful half volley on the run that gave the Sana’a custodian Muaadh Abdulwali no chance.

Syed Rahim Nabi, who played the key role in keeping the East Bengal attack alive, also got a couple of chances but could not convert them.

With the home team retreating into a defensive shell, Ahli Sana’a earned a string of opportunities late in the second session. But poor finishing by its attackers especially Adel Al-Salemi and Ala AL Sasi meant that the equaliser did not come through.

East Bengal next visits Jordan on April 2 to play Al Wihdat in the third round of the group league.

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