JCT blanked former champions East Bengal 3-0 in the eleventh round of the ONGC I League at the Guru Nanak stadium on Monday.

Brazilian striker Eduardo de Silva Escobar was the star for JCT with a goal and two assists. With this win, JCT are in the second spot in the table behind Dempo with 22 points while East Bengal are on eight points.

Putting behind their only defeat of the season to Mahindra United in the last round, the Millmen took the lead just five minutes into the match as Eduardo’s well-calculated pass was powered in by Baljit Singh Sahni.

Three minutes later, the lanky Brazilian was again in the thick of action when he moved into the rival area dodging past three defenders to find Baldeep, who drew the goalkeeper out to tap the ball into the net to increase the lead.

Eduardo’s moment came in the 38th minute, when he converted a spot-kick after being brought down in the rival penalty area. The second half was lacklustre though East Bengal made a few attempts at the rival goal only to be thwarted by gritty JCT defenders.

Air India win

Elsewhere, at the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai, Air India rallied to beat bottom-placed Salgaocar 2-1 to take their tally to 11 points from as many matches.

Felix Chimaokwu put visitors ahead in the 23rd minute but Airmen restored parity through Paresh Shivalkar six minutes later. Kumar Samson Singh then put Air India ahead at the stroke of half-time to clinch the issue.

Salgaocar, who are yet to register a win in the league, have lost six out of their 11 matches to be placed at the bottom of the table with five points.

Churchill score

In Margao, Durand Cup winners Churchill Brothers rode on a splendid four-goal effort by mercurial striker Odafe Onyeka Okolie to down Mahindra United 4-2.

Man of the match Okolie put the Goan side ahead in the very first minute of the match, the only goal in the first half.

Andrew Mensah Pomeyie netted the equaliser for Mahindra eight minutes into the second session. But, Okolie again put Churchill on top in the 63rd minute later but Mahindra this time found a quick equaliser with Steven Dias finding the target in the next minute. Moments later, Okolie powered the third goal (65th) and then, rounded off the scoring a minute before time.