Bhutia sent off as Bagan beat East Bengal

Mohun Bagan beat East Bengal 1-0 in a closely-fought match of the IFA Premier Division Football League in Kolkata on Tuesday.

The match saw some mindless acts in the dying minutes, leading to marching orders for Bagan's star striker Baichung Bhutia and East Bengal's Brazilian recruit Lucas.

The only goal of the match was scored in the 48th minute by Endem. The Brazilian striker, after receiving a long pass from medio Lalkamal Chakraborty at the top of the penalty box, found the net with a perfect right-footer.

East Bengal applied pressure after conceding the goal, but their attempts were thwarted by a solid Bagan defence.

The red and yellow brigade, who are frontrunners for the title, got their best chance to equalise in the 72nd minute, but striker Dipankar Roy shot into the hands of Bagan custodian Sangram Mukherjee from close.

However, in the 87th minute things suddenly took an ugly turn and Bhutia was sent off.

The ace striker advanced menacingly into the East Bengal penalty area and on being challenged pushed defender Gurpreet. As East Bengal were awarded a free-kick from the resultant foul, Bhutia got into an argument with the referee, who flashed the red card being at him.

But East Bengal failed to make the best of the advantage of playing with an extra man as they too were reduced to ten men in the dying minutes when their defender M Suresh hit Bagan medio Lalmohan on the face in the second minute of four minutes' injury time and was given marching orders.