Baichung Bhutia signalled a return to vintage form with a spectacular brace, as a fitter and faster East Bengal outclassed arch-rivals Mohun Bagan 3-0 in an entertaining Kolkata Super Division football league match amidst heavy monsoon showers in Kolkata on Saturday.
A huge crowd of 110,000 at the Salt Lake stadium got their money's worth as the two teams played attacking football, though East Bengal's superiority was indisputable.
The winners reaped the fruits of a month-long pre-season training under South African fitness adviser Kevin Jackson, towering over their opponents in every department of the game.
They went into the lead in the opening half through Ghanaian Suley Musah, before Bhutia scored twice in the second session to seal Bagan's fate.
Skipper Musah's goal came in the 23rd minute when he outjumped Bagan defenders to unleash a snap header, giving no chance to custodian Imran Khan. The spadework was done by attacking medio Malsawmtluanga, the fulcrum of the East Bengal moves, who sent a measured floater to the right.
Malsawmtluanga was also instrumental in initiating the move for the second goal in the 23rd minute of the second session. He sent a centre to substitute Alvito D'Cunha, who ran to the right and found Bhutia. Finding himself at a distance from the ball, the lethal striker threw himself in the air, and put the ball home with a side-volley in a flash.
Bhutia, determined to re-establish his credentials after his indifferent showing for Bagan last year, made the scoreline 3-0 15 minutes later. His first shot rebounded off the post, but the Sikkimese followed the ball well, and found the net with a right-footer.
Bagan's attack line was blunted by East Bengal defender Dipak Mondal, who policed the famed Brazilian Jose Barreto to submission.
The other Brazilan in the Bagan ranks, Marcos Pereira, also seemed out of practice, having come here only three days ago.
The Bagan midfielders, who showed initial promise, looked out of steam as the match progressed, as East Bengal's stranglehold increased.
The first chance of the game came East Bengal's way, as Bijen Singh centred for Malsawmtluanga, but Imran Khan came out in time and collected.
Soon after, Bagan got a look-in at the rival goal, with Hardip Saini unleashing a long-ranger. East Bengal custodian Sangram Mukherjee, however, read the line well, and gathered the ball.
In the 15th minute, Malsawmtluanga set up Suley Musah, but his spectacular header was fisted out by Imran.
A few minutes after the first goal, East Bengal came close to scoring, but the crosspiece thwarted a Surkumar Singh right foot try.
Bagan got another opportunity in the closing stages of the first-half, but Rennedy Singh's power-packed free-kick was punched out by Sangram.
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