Guwahati, Sept. 23: East Bengal Club President XI thrashed Bongabir Ogragami FC, Sylhet, 6-0 in a Group B league match of the 64th Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Bordoloi Trophy Football Tournament at Nehru Stadium here last evening.
In a lacklustre one-sided game, the Calcutta club had a field day, pumping in goals at regular intervals and making a mockery of the Bangladeshi club's defence.
The first half was a rather mediocre session with both sides playing a defensive game to end with a 2-0 lead for East Bengal. However, in the second half, East Bengal showed its character to pump in four goals with ease.
East Bengal opened their account through foreign recruit Adeleja as early as in the sixth minute. He headed in the ball which came his way when Bongabir Ogragami keeper Sabir Ahmed Soel punched it off a free kick by Do Dong Hyun.
Dong Hyun consolidated in the 34th minute, capitalising on the opponents' defensive lapse by dribbling from the midfield and taking a left-footed shot from close range to ruffle the net.
In the second session, the Bangladeshi men started aggressively only to concede a goal within three minutes. Striker Jiten Murmu found the net off a Dong Hyun pass at the goalmouth off a counter-attack.
Prohlad Roy hit home with a long shot, shooting from the 35-yard mark off a back pass by Nikhil Poojary in the 60th minute.
Dong Hyun struck his second goal of the match in the 67th minute, converting a penalty kick. Referee Jehrul Islam awarded the spot kick for Bongabir Ogragami defender Jamil Ahmed's foul against Adeleja inside the danger zone. Nikhil Poojary pumped in the last goal in the 87th minute.
East Bengal is playing in the Bordoloi Trophy tournament after 20 years. The last time they featured in the tournament was in 1996 when they lost to archrivals Mohun Bagan in a controversy-ridden final. With today's win, East Bengal President XI lead Group B with three points while defending champions Assam State Electricity Board SC, Guwahati, and United Sikkim FC trail with one point each from their drawn encounter.
