Jairu and Mendy find the mark as East Bengal overcome a spirited Aizawl FC in hard-fought battle

A GOAL EACH from Bikash Jairu and debutant Bernard Mendy saw East Bengal turn things around after being pressed by Aizawl FC for a long while, to return to winning ways with a 2-0 victory.

Both sides featured a significant transformation from their previous outings. East Bengal switched their custodian; it was Luis Barreto who walked out with the team rather than Rehenesh TP. Sabeeth made a return to the squad, along with Rahul Bheke and Saumik Dey. Also, Bernard Mendy, the new star foreigner around whom there was a lot of excitement among the fans, started for his new club for the very first time.

As for Aizawl FC, they brought back Alfred Jaryan up front, with Nigerian defender Emmanuel Chigozie as well as skipper David Lalrinmuana made a comeback in the midfield.

The match began on a lot more even keel than the home side would have liked. Aizawl FC players were hogging a lot of possession and making some good movements but it was East Bengal who enjoyed the deadlier attacks.

Bernard Mendy, playing in the midfield, made a darting run down the middle and let fly from scoring range but the ball went over the crossbar. Minutes later, he managed to get a header on a cross sent in by Saumik Dey, but it missed the target. 

When Alfred Jaryan made a threatening early run, Rahul Bheke brought him down and took the booking. But the resulting free-kick didn't do much for Aizawl. Jayan then sent a good cross in for Kinowaki, who set it up for Ruatthara who could have taken a clear shot at goal but for some reason chose to pass it back to Kinowaki who was in a worse position to shoot, under pressure from two defenders. The hurried shot went off target.

Do Dong-hyun, who had been a threatening presence in the right wing since the start, fed Mendy a high ball that saw Aizawl keeper Soiram Poirei clash with the Frenchman to grab the ball. Mendy went down injured, so did Chigozie who ran into the advertisement boards trying to clear the ball.

Dong-hyun stepped up to take the corner and delivered it straight to Ranti at the back of the cluster. The striker put a bicycle kick on it that went too high.

David Lalrinmuana sent in a ball that was rather hopeful from a distance and it didn't go in. Ranti Martins got a cross from Bikash Jairu and took a crack but Poirei was alert. 

Then a pass from Do Dong-hyun wreacked havoc inside the Aizawl box as Ranti Martins and Mendy engaged for a scuffle for the ball with four Aizawl defenders, and the ball went into the net but the referee ruled it out for offside.

At half-time, it was 0-0. Aizawl FC had shown promise and done well to keep the Red and Golds level with themselves, but their efforts up front had failed to move the East Bengal keeper Luis Barreto.

But when the second half started they came out with vengeance, using their extra pace and stamina to sell trouble for the home team. A Biaktea shot was on target but Luis Barreto saved it.

Biswajit Bhattacharya was forced to make a couple of eary changes. Sabeeth came in for Cavin Lobo and Do-Dong-hyun made way for Joaquim Abranches. Dong-hyun was not happy with being substituted at all. He kicked out at a bottle, overturned a reserve bench chair and tried to leave the field of play for dressing room. One of the East Bengal officials had to plead with him to stay at the bench, while coach Biswajit Bhattacharya ignored him.

Bernard Mendy almost headed one in but Poirei got to it. Then Bikash Jairu managed to send a ball inside the box for Ranti Martins who got a touch on it, and Poirei was almost caught off guard but he managed to make a desperate dive to save the ball on goal-line.

Aizawl FC suffered a blow when Alfred Jaryan was stretched off with an injury, and Atsushi Yonezawa came on to replace him. Soon, all their work to stay in the game was to come undone.

Super sub Abranches sent in a cross that Bikash Jairu did well to reach and turn goalwards. Poirei, for once, was beaten. The ball went in and the filled-to-the-brink stadium exploded with joy. East Bengal finally had the lead.

And before long came their second goal. It was none other than the debutant Bernard Mendy who latched onto a ball from Cavin Lobo and headed it in. Suddenly, the pressure on the home side had lifted, and they had reclaimed their territory. It was over for Aizawl FC.

They still tried. Ricky Lallawmawma did well to send in a hard-driven long ranger that missed the target by half a foot. From a latter corner, they got a header towards goal that was kept out by Luis Barreto.

East Bengal almost go their third when a high ball reached Bernard Mendy bang inside the opponent box, unguarded, with nobody but keeper Poirei ahead of him. But the latter charged and dived sideways, and when Mendy let fly it went straight to the keeper. Another brilliant save by a keeper who had been on top form all evening but had to end up on the losing side nonetheless.

As the final whistle was blown, there was a palpable sigh of relief from the East Bengal camp. They had successfully managed to stop the defeat to Bengaluru FC from becoming a losing streak. Sitting second on the league table with 11 points from 6 matches, they can now dream about turning this regaining of momentum into a streak that leads to a comeback in the title race.

As for Aizawl FC, they probably put one of their best displays yet in terms of creating chances and controlling the game. But things fell apart once again for the same old reason: they lacked a good striker to score. So while there are lots of positives to be taken from a game like this, being on 4 points from 6 games will be a major cause for worry for the Aizawl coach and management because the newly promoted club remains dangerously close to the relegation spot.