East Bengal FC (EBFC) defeated Indian Air Force football by 3-1 in a Group A match at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata on Monday.
Star players Madih Talal and Dimitrios Diamantakos from EBFC were instrumental in nodding the ball home in the last 61st minute, enabling last year's finalists to begin their tournament with a dominant win over IAF.
Somananda Singh found the net in the first quarter and scored the goal taking IAF into the lead.
However, EBFC fought back with young forward, David Hmar, and scored an equaliser before the first break.
Carles Cuadrat, head coach of EBFC, directed last season's top scorer, Diamantakos, to pull off the last 61st minute goal.
Coupled with Captain Saul Crespo’s 68th-minute goal on the turn, it sealed the deal for EBFC and pushed the team to the winning side in no time.
Crespo's conspicuous partnership with the new players Talal and Diamantakos helped EBFC stay in control of the match.
Hmar scored the goal before the first half in the 43rd minute and then in the second half Diamantakos took the lead, followed by Souvik Chakrabarti setting it up for Crespo, who finally cut in and added the third goal for East Bengal.
Coach Cuadrat’s decision to bring Greek forward Diamantakos and Vishnu PV in place of David Lalhlansanga and Naorem Mahesh Singh paid off.
Follow us
