East Bengal win Platinum Jubilee Cup

This was East Bengal’s second victory over Bagan in the ongoing season. However,neither of the teams gave much importance to this invitation meet,evident from the fact that they did not field any of their foreign recruits today.

East Bengal surged ahead by a left footer from Alvito D’Cunha off Sanju Pradhan into the stoppage time of the first half. But the green and maroons equalised on 53 minutes through Satish Kumar and took the lead through an Asim Biswas header following a corner by Gouranga Dutta on 66 minutes. East Bengal restored parity on 76 minutes through Robin Singh’s header off a cross from substitute Biswajit Natta. Robin Singh gave his side the lead for the second time with a right-footer which beat veteran Bagan keeper Sangram Mukherjee 10 minutes into the extra time. As East Bengal looked like emerging winners in the extra time,Bagan’s Harpreet Singh headed home eight minutes from close forcing the shoot-out.

East Bengal coach Trevor Morgan brought goalkeeper Jayanta Paul in place of Nashim Akhtar a few minutes before the final whistle and it turned out to be a masterstroke. Paul saved the first two penalties of Souvik Chakraborty and Snehashish Chakraborty before Gauranga Dutta shot wide.