EB slam three past peerless

Kolkata, Aug 14 (UNI) East Bengal exorcised the ghosts of the abandoned match against Peerless posting a convincing 3-0 win in today's rematch at home ground in the CFL Premier Division.

Two days back, Peerless embarrassed East Bengal big time in a 67-minute affair, only for a heavy spell of rain to come to East Bengal's rescue, leading to today's rematch.

Throughout the 90 minutes of play, Peerless wasn't able to come up with any sitter, despite the fact that the team's midfield functioned with agility.

East Bengal custodian Abhra Mondal, naturally, could not be tested throughout the match, except in the 74th minute when Peerless midfielder James Agbo's 25-yard right-footer off a free-kick forced Mondal to get into the action as he spectacularly flung himself to the crosspiece.

The red-and-gold brigade, before its all-important derby against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan this Friday at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (YBK), didn't quite come up with the build-up and attacking initiatives needed against the composed midfield of Mohun Bagan.

It was Abdul Samed who opened scoring. The newly-recruited Ghanaian defender struck in the 14th minute, heading home a Soumik Dey chip, as he emerged from a goalmouth melee. Alvito doubled the lead in the 50 th minute jabing in a forward through from Shaumik Dey. It came 10 minutes after a brilliant 30-yard right-footer from Edmilson Marques rebounded off the crosspiece.

Dipankar struck the third goal for the winning team in the 57th minute, capitalising on a floater from the left from Ashim Biswas.

UNI