As the teams gear up for the home run in the closing stages of I league 2013-14 and few contenders still in with realistic chance to win the league East Bengal needed a crucial 3 points in the mid week clash against relegation threatened Mumbai FC.With Bengaluru FC,Pune FC and Sporting Goa all 3 teams losing crucial points in the last matches, East Bengal had to win the match to put pressure on the league leaders.
Coach Armando Colaco played with his limited options with the injury ravaged squad he had at his disposal but both teams played pedestrian football in the first half with series of miss passes and not pushing the ball forward.East Bengal defended deep at times and their midfield play looked choked as Mumbai FC looked more mobile using flanks and good combination play between Alfred and Yakubu resulting in some desperate defending in the East Bengal half.
But their was a change of fortune in second half,right at the hour mark Yakunbu collected a lose ball at the centre and unleashed a deadly 60 yards shot to beat an out of position Abhijit Mondal with a world class long ranger against the run of play.As the home side was stunned coach Armando made the tactical change of the day bringing Sueoka and Dika.With the arrival of these two players East Bengal had more possession and a better link up play was visible with Chidi up front.East Bengal manged to get a free kick at a threatening zone outside Mumbai FC boX and Dika's sho deflected and came back to Sueoka and he finished the second ball with a brilliant overhead bi cycle kick to make it 1-1.
And with a minute added another one with a neat finish in far post to beat the goal keeper from a tight angle to give East Bengal a 2-1 lead within two minutes.As East Bengal looked to close the game and seal all three points, Mumbai FC equalized in 87th minute through Ashutosh Mehta with a insetep curler from the right side of the box much to the disappointment of home fans, as they lost crucial 2 points what looked a game in their pocket.East Bengal looked to miss a leader in their backline to the likes of Uga Opara as they unnecessarily played the ball back and too any and created pressure on their back four,inexperienced Abhishekh Das was found wanting for most part of the match as Khalid Jameel's boys dominated the flank play with their physical game.
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