Yusif Yukubu strikes twice vs Vasco, EB take fifth position

Kolkata, Oct 18 (UNI) Yusif Yakubu struck in each half to give East Bengal a 2-0 win over struggling Vasco SC of Goa in round IV of the ONGC I-League at Yubabharati Krirangan this evening.

The win, after two consecutive defeats, put East Bengal in fifth place with six points from four matches.

Nigerian import Yusif Yakubu capitalising on an advance from Mehrajuddin sent a rightfooter home in the sixth minute and doubled his score at the final moment, that too from Kashmiri boy Mehrajuddin, that fetched him the man-of-the-match.

Vasco remained with one point they had from the 0-0 draw with JCT before conceding 1-2 to Dempo, were fortunate today not to concede at least one more goal.

Sunil Chettri was unlucky not to get a goal when his shot between the legs of Vincent hit the post in the second half.

Coach Stanley Rozario praised his boys for their performance and said the win was very vital for them.

Today's win over newly promoted Vasco reminded East Bengal's feat in 2003-04, the year EB won championship for last time after initial defeats.

EB, desperate to reverse the trend after two defeats- Mumbai FC 0-1 and 0-2 vs Air India, got into the game quickly when Yusif Yakubu shot home. Two more attempts were nicely saved by young custodian Laxmikath. One of them was from Mehrajjudin in first session.

Local fans cheering for EB were almost silenced by Uzbek striker Ravshan Teshabnev early in the second half. But his goal was disallowed by referee P K Bose after the linesman signalled for an off-side violation against Agnelo Desouza.

India's International goalkeeper Subrata Paul looked puzzled after conceding the goal but was again cheerful when the linesman was still holding his right hand at the shoulder level signalling an off-side.

The Uzbek duo - midfielder Sherzod Nazarov and Ravshan- was made stingless by the solid defensive combination of Suley Musa and Sur Kumar Singh.

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