Edmilson's strike keeps East Bengal's hopes alive

A solitary 34th minute stunning strike by Brazilian Edmilson Marques helped the Kolkata outfit East Bengal to score a much-needed 1-0 victory over Yemeni club Ahli Sana’a to keep the hopes of Red and Gold brigade alive in the AFC Cup continental club championship here on Tuesday.

The struggling Kolkata club got a big respite after their disappointing I-League campaign. East Bengal lost lung opener to Safaa SC in Beirut. The win now again put the East Bengal team back on track in the championship.

After Tuesday’s win at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan, East Bengal earned three points to join Safaa at the top of the four-team group. Safaa however, has played one-match less than the Kolkata outfit.

East Bengal star striker Edmilson Marques score the all-important goal in the first-half that later turned out to be the match winner. Edmilson slammed in a stunning half-volley on the run after cashing on an opportunity cropped up due to rival team’s slip-up ensuring full three points for the local side.

Ibe Ikechukwu Gift’s attempted volley got deflected off Sana’a defender Ahmed Khalili and in a spur of a moment it went to unmarked Brazilian Edmilson who pounced on the ball and unleashed a power-packed shot that banged into the net beating rival goalkeeper Manaudh Abdul Khaleej all ends up.

The Yemenis outfit impressed a bit initially but after the game progressed they went in to their shell. They used their tall frame and played long balls in the air to advantage themselves in trying to build some penetration in the rival arena, but failed to convert those positive chances.

However, East Bengal gradually got into their groove after judging their opponents quite well. The local outfit had a first shy at the rival’s goal in the 12th minute. Edmilson sent a precision cross from the right flank, but Nabi’s header went over.

The red-and-gold brigade simply outplayed and outpaced their opponents in a sultry afternoon that fatigued all the visitors’ energy in the hot and humid conditions.

East Bengal launched repeated raids to push Sana’a on the back foot while playing before a sparse home crowd. The hosts earned three back-to-back corner kicks in the 28th, 29th and 30th minute that exposed the fragileness of the Sana’a defence.

Sana’a custodian fisted the Alvito d’Cunha shot in the first corner that brushed past one of the defenders resulting second one.

Nabi headed Alvito’s second corner which hit the cross bar after having touched the fingers of rival custodian.

East Bengal switched into a defensive mode in the latter half, while the tourists shifted their gears and pressed hard for the equaliser. They were be able to create as many as four chances, but failed to make any mark in the end.

Sassi produced a fine shot from top of the box in the 70th minute, but to his dismay it came off the post. Twelve minutes later Alsalemi’s scorching run down the left flank created panic in the East Bengal defence, but his shot was off target.

East Bengal now have three points from two matches and will next visits Jordan on April 2 to play Al Wihdat in the third round of the group league.

TEAMS

East Bengal: Subrata Paul, M. Suresh, M. Bolaji, Debabrata Roy, Alvito D’Cunha (Snehashis Chakroborty 63), Gift (Hardeep Singh 93), Syed Rahim Nabi, Mehtab Hossain, Mehrajuddin Wadao,Surkumar Singh, Edmilson, Snehashis Chakraborty.

Ahli Sana’a: Muaadh Abdul Kacik, Ala Al-Sasi, Adel Al Salimi (Wahid Alkyat 83, yellow), Sami Alhemi, Assad Alqu Masi, Hamada Alhadashi, Ahmed Kalil, Zaid Alnajir (Ebrahim Hassan 62), Essam Aldhubani, Fuad Alamari, Jmal Alqudemi.

Referee: Tojo Minoru.