JOIN USIt was a sloppy display from the home giants who lacked creativity and coordination throughout the match and their winning moment came late in the 84th minute with the Australian recruit earning the red-and-gold brigade the crucial three points.
Title favourites East Bengal never had it easy against ONGC, who graduated to the top tier after becoming champions in the second division. The Mumbai-based outfit thwarted the home team successfully in the first-half.
There was a moment of celebration in the East Bengal camp when a surging Robin Singh fired in an Ozbay cross from the right in the 17th minute but the robust striker was adjudged off-side by the linesman to bring an end to the early euphoria.
The strike duo of Singh and Ozbay took time to settle down while Penn Orji attacked from the left flank but ONGC defenders did not let them penetrate easily. East Bengal nearly appeared to pay for their sloppy work when Baba Tunde’s shot for ONGC missed the crosspiece in the 48th minute. Showing some sense of urgency, East Bengal coach Trevor Morgan brought in attacking medio Alvito D’Cunha in place of Beikhokhei in the 63rd minute but still their attack lacked coordination.
Ozbay finally broke the deadlock with a subtle header from a Naoba Singh pass late into the match.
In the day’s other match at Margao, Odafe Onyeka Okolie struck a late equaliser as Churchill Brothers held Dempo to a 1-1 draw.
Clifton Gonsalves put champions Dempo ahead in the 58th minute before Okolie’s goal four minutes from time levelled proceedings.