Defending champions East Bengal moved atop the National Football League after prevailing over arch-rivals Mohun Bagan 2-1 in a 11th round league match in Kolkata on Thursday.
Nigerian striker Mike Okoro scored the winner in the 75th minute, after Bagan's Ashim Biswas cancelled East Bengal's early lead, through Dipankar Roy in the first half of the Salt Lake stadium encounter.
After 11 matches, the red and gold brigade have 21 points, the same as Dempo Sports Club, who have played a game less. However, East Bengal occupy the first slot because of a better number of goals scored. East Bengal have 17 for and 9 against while Dempo have 12 for and 4 against.
Three-time champions Mohun Bagan continue to languish in ninth position, with 14 points from 11 matches.
Bagan badly missed Brazilian striker Jose Barreto, whose absence seems to have taken off the sting from their attack. The green and maroon outfit put up a tough fight in the opening session, but failed to create scoring opportunities.
Post the breather, Bagan's attacks seemed more purposeful in the initial stages, but East Bengal regained the upper hand after Alvito D' Cunha came on as substitute for Dipankar Roy.
East Bengal went into the lead in the 24th minute following a fast counter attack which saw Baichung Bhutia send a through pass to Okoro, who in turn fed Roy, on the right. Roy's swift run found Bilifang Narzary out of position and although the Bagan custodian did his best to get a touch to Roy's shot, it was not enough to prevent it from hitting the far post and finding the net.
East Bengal came close to scoring again in the 40th minute, but Bhutia, in the clear following a Roy cross from the right, failed to connect with a diving header.
Bagan restored parity in the 43rd minute as Brazilian Leonardo, who had a great game in the defence, distributed the ball to compatriot Edu, and the latter addressed a fine cross which was headed in by Biswas.
The East Bengal defenders were largely to be blamed for the goal, as none of them intervened, letting Biswas score virtually unchallenged.
After the first-half reamained deadlocked 1-1, East Bengal got the decisive goal in the 75th minute as Okoro nodded in a D'Cunha corner.
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