Kolkata: Playing their second match against a Kolkata giant, the Bangladesh Army Football Team (BAFT) fought back from a two-goal deficit to hold 10-man East Bengal 2-2 in a Group A match in the 132nd Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) here on Sunday.
In the second game of the first Sunday of the tournament, the Kolkata side went 2-0 up in the first half through goals from Saul Crespo and Siviero. But Shariar Emon pulled one back and then substitute Meraj Pradhan kept the Bangladesh Army team, who lost their first match to Mohun Bagan, in contention after Nishu Kumar had received marching orders for an off-the-ball challenge in the 67th minute.
With the Kolkata derby against Mohun Bagan Super Giant coming up next, East Bengal will rue their missed chances particularly in the first half and with a new look squad and coach will be under severe pressure to go through from the group which also has Punjab FC as the fourth team.
Spaniard Javier Siverio, one of two Spaniards in compatriot Carles Cuadrat’s starting eleven, seemed to put the Red and Golds ahead just under five minutes into the game, off a superb cross by Naorem Mahesh from the left flank, but he was booked eventually for handball.
Mahesh and Nandha Kumar took a lot of workload for their team, switching flanks, going down to defend and creating chances. That resulted in prolonged periods of domination for East Bengal but the deadlock refused to be broken.
The goal finally came in the 34th minute when Kamrul Islam pulled back Nishu Kumar inside the Bangladesh penalty box. The second Spanish player Saul Crespo made no mistake from the spot.
Then just before the break, East Bengal thought they had an insurance second with Siverio heading in clean this time from a Harmanjot Khabra floater from the right.
The second half saw scrappy football for most parts and Emami East Bengal did get the better chances but failed to convert any. The Nishu Kumar was sent-off and Bangladesh sensed a chance.
In the 88th minute, Gursimrat Gill was replaced by Australian Jordan Elsey and Shariar Emon pulled one back for Bangladesh — their first goal of the tournament. It came off a Mehedi Hasan throw-in from the left flank, which took a couple of headers on the way to land in the path of Emon. The lanky forward struck with his left and the ball took a couple of bounces along the ground to beat keeper Prabhsukan Gill.
As the game went into added time, East Bengal were tiring with 10 men and Bangladesh mounted an attack through Emon. He crossed to Mamun whose shot was deflected back by Gill. An onrushing Meraj pounced on the loose ball and shot back towards the goal which Gill again managed to thwart feebly for one last time, before Meraj muscled it in, to secure a point for his team.
(IANS)
