Calcutta: Yusif Yakubu was emotionally exhausted after the I-League match on Friday.

Still, that a perfect gentleman he is, the Ghanaian obliged the jostling mediapersons and spoke for a few minutes before leaving the stadium.

“I was informed of my mother’s demise only in the morning. I dedicate this victory in the memory of my mother,” Yakubu told the reporters.

When asked whether he will leave for Accra (his hometown), he said: “I haven’t yet spoken to the officials in this regard.”

East Bengal coach Phillippe de Ridder was also very emotional post-match conference. “It was phenomenal to see someone who came to know about the tragedy come out all guns blazing. This match means a lot to all of us. Personally, it will be one of the best if not the best match we have played this season. It was a sentimental occasion for all of us,” De Ridder said.

“The players wanted to do it for Yakubu. I am glad that we have won the match.. It was just not a game of football today. It was something more,” he added.

On the match front, De Ridder was not happy that his team conceded those two goals. “We shouldn’t have conceded those goals.”