ISL: East Bengal score 4 second half goals for a comeback win against Punjab FC

Kolkata: East Bengal scored four second half goals to recorded a sensational come-from-behind victory, beating Punjab FC 4-2 in their Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) Stadium here on Tuesday.

The match marked the first instance that East Bengal emerged victorious in an ISL match after trailing by two or more goals.

The Red and Gold Brigade thus secured their maiden ISL win against Punjab FC, after drawing and losing once in their two previous meetings.

Punjab FC grabbed the first advantage in the game with a cohesive team effort that first saw Nihal Sudheesh and Ezequiel Vidal play a quick passing sequence on the right flank.

Vidal then curled in a cross on the far post for Asmir Suljic, who rushed to get his foot at the end of the delivery and netted it into the high centre of the goal in the 21st minute.

Vidal then delivered a piece of individual brilliance in the 39th minute to double Punjab FC’s lead.

Receiving a throw-in from Khaiminthang Lhungdim in the 18-yard box, Vidal first turned East Bengal defender Anwar Ali the wrong side with quick footwork before catching goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill off-guard by launching a thunderous shot from a difficult angle to the top left corner.

East Bengal, however, didn’t back off and instead emerged as a re-energised unit in the second-half.

They began pressing for opportunities from the very beginning, and first cut the deficit in the 46th minute. Cleiton Silva delivered a looping free-kick from the right flank that defender Hijazi Maher headed into the top left corner amid a crowded Punjab FC box.

Then, Vishnu Puthiya came on as a substitute for Naorem Mahesh Singh in the 48th minute, which turned out to be a critical move in sealing East Bengal FC’s fate in this game.

Six minutes after his introduction in the match, Mohammed Rakip delivered a cross for David Lalhlansanga inside the box. The delivery didn’t meet David though, but Vishnu was quick to lap upon it and nestle it to the top left corner following a deflection to restore parity in proceedings.

East Bengal FC rode on this wave of momentum to exert pressure on the Punjab FC backline, eventually resulting in Suresh Meitei committing an error in the 60th minute.

The home side built swiftly from the back and the final offensive sequence unfolded with David giving Nandhakumar Sekar a pass on the right flank.

Nandhakumar’s final delivery lacked precision but Suresh ended up getting a foot to it and the ball hit the back of the net, resulting in an own goal in the defender’s name.

Lhungdim was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in the 64th minute and the Red & Gold Brigade instantly capitalised on this numerical advantage.

Vishnu found ample space on the left flank to deliver a swirled cross for David at the centre of the box.

The forward made a quick adjustment, bending his body to nod the ball into the bottom left corner to secure East Bengal's fourth goal of the night, and securing all three points for them.