Emami East Bengal capped off their Group A campaign in the Durand Cup with a resounding 6-1 win over Indian Air Force FT at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Sunday.
East Bengal thus registered three wins from three and finished top of the group.
Six different scorers found the net for the red and gold brigade, as coach Oscar Bruzon’s side combined flair and ruthlessness to overwhelm the airmen.
East Bengal dominated from the beginning, forcing IAF captain and goalkeeper Subhajit Basu into back-to-back saves from Hamid Ahadad and Anwar Ali headers in the third minute.
The Moroccan striker, fresh from scoring on debut, continued his fine form by opening the scoring in the seventh minute, calmly slotting home at the far post with a header after Edmund Lalrindika’s measuredcross.
The airmen struggled to cope with East Bengal’s movement, and, in the 25th minute, Bipin Singh made it 2-0, showing composure to round the keeper and finish.
The airmen found a lifeline in the 36th minute.
A patient build-up ended with Jijo Jerone delivering a precise cross from the right for Aman Khan, who glanced his header past East Bengal goalkeeper Gill to make it 2-1.
In the 63rd minute, Miguel Lalrindika’s corner was met by a towering header from Anwar Ali, restoring East Bengal’s two-goal cushion.
Three minutes after the third goal, East Bengal coach Bruzon sent in Saul Crespo, Basim Rashid, and David Hmer, a move that paid immediate dividends.
In the 68th minute, a partial clearance fell to Basim outside the box, and the substitute drilled a precise strike past Basu for 4–1.
East Bengal’s relentless pressing forced errors, and in the 85th, Basu’s punched clearance from Edmund’s cross fell straight to Crespo’s right foot, who volleyed into an empty net for the fifth.
In the final minute of regulation time, Miguel’s header found substitute David Hmer, who nodded home to complete the 6-1 victory.
Real Kashmir triumph
Real Kashmir FC produced a clinical display to defeat Neroca FC 3-1 in a Group F match at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal.
The Snow Leopards thus ended their campaign with six points from three outings.
The match between Indian Navy and Trau FC on Tuesday will decide who will qualify for the quarter-finals as group toppers.
Former India defender Salam Ranjan Singh put Real Kashmir ahead in the 32nd minute.