Easy win for East Bengal

Defending champions East Bengal began their campaign on a convincing note, breezing past local challengers Tollygunge Agragami 4-1 in a Group A pre-quarter-final match in the 107th IFA Shield football tournament in Calcutta on Monday.

Going into the lead in the opening minute through Omoloja Olalekan, the National Football League champions consolidated their position with goals from Jo Paul Ancheri, Isiaka Abayomi and Chandan Das.

Agragami, on the other hand, looked completely subdued in the first session despite scoring their only goal in the 31st minute, courtesy Akeem Abaloni. They tried to regroup in the later half, but failed to match their famed rivals.

The match moved into top gear soon after referee P Bhaskar of Tamil Nadu signalled the start of play as Olalekan, who has been among the goals in the current season, netted with a spectacular shot following a pass from medio Anit Ghosh. Tollygunge goalkeeper Sandip Nandy and the defenders were hopelessly out of position.

Ancheri made the scoreline 2-0 in the 19th minute with a crisp left footer from just outside the box. Goalkeeper Nandy, who desperately dived to his left, only managed to deflect the ball into the goal.

Tollygunge reduced the lead 12 minutes later as Akeem neatly trapped and slotted in a Sashthi Duley centre.

The winners again struck four minutes after the lemon break, as Isiaka found the mark with an angular long-ranger before Das, who came on as a substitute, scored with a crisp volley a minute from the final whistle.