East Bengal did a first in ISL. For the last five seasons, they had never won their opening match. Oscar Bruzon’s men bucked that trend at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday, defeating NorthEast United FC 3-0.
Youssef Ezzejjari netted a brace on debut and Miguel Ferreira got the third one.
Ezzejjari, who was roped in during the January transfer window, became an instant hit with the fans. More than 18,000 supporters, who turned up at the stadium on Monday evening, started chanting his name the moment the Spaniard got his first goal. That was in the 65th minute.
Defender Jeakson Singh found Bipin Singh on the left, who cut in and swung a cross inside the box. Ezzejjari got to the end of the cross and headed the ball in.
The second one came five minutes later. Edmund Lalrindika, who came in for Nandhakumar Sekar, controlled the ball well on the left after Bipin and Anwar Ali combined well. Lalrindika spotted Ezzejjari in the middle. His intended lob took a minor deflection and Ezzejjari was at the right place at the right time to make it 2-0.
One minute into the second-half injury time, East Bengal got the third. Jay Gupta played the ball to PV Vishnu, who found Ferreira with an excellent through ball. The Brazilian made his way inside the box and then took a shot across the face of the goal. It went past NEUFC goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh into the far corner of the net. A brilliant goal and the crowd could not ask for more.
East Bengal had other chances too. Basim Rashid’s rasping volley from the edge of the box rattled the crossbar, Ferreira’s shot was parried away by Gurmeet and Bipin Singh failed to convert from close.
NEUFC, the reigning Durand Cup champions, hardly troubled East Bengal and badly missed a sting in the attack. These are the early days of the league, but they are already missing star striker Alaaeddine Ajaraie, who left last month.
East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon employed a high-line defence and at times the makeshift central defence pair of Anwar Ali and Jeakson, along with the two sidebacks Lalchungnunga and Gupta, did struggle.
Luckily for Bruzon, NEUFC did not have the ammunition to capitalise on those lapses. Other teams may not be that benevolent.