East Bengal beat
Mohammedan Sporting

Title holders East Bengal consolidated their position atop the league table after beating Mohammedan Sporting 2-0 in a crucial Kolkata Super Division football league match on Tuesday.

Midfield ace Malswamtluanga scored both the goals in the first half to ensure full points for the winners, who completed their first leg engagements with 25 points from nine games.

Sporting, who are placed second, ended their first leg engagements five points adrift of East Bengal.

The two teams will join fancied Mohun Bagan, Tollygunge Agragami and Kolkata Port Trust in the Super Five round-robin stage.

East Bengal would be at a distinct advantage as league rules provide for carrying over points from the preliminaries.

The red and gold brigade looked the superior side, particularly in the opening half of the floodlit Salt Lake stadium. But Mohamemdan Sporting upped the ante in the latter half, only to be done in by poor finishing and a dazzling display from East Bengal keeper Sandip Nandy, who saved his side on several occasions.

Nandy also denied Sporting the fruits of a penalty in the 73rd minute when he dived to his right to save Reazul Mustafa's shot. The penalty was awarded after East Bengal defender Subhasish Roychowdhury brought down an onrushing Mohammed Rahim Nabi inside the dreaded zone.

The match had to be stopped for 22 minutes towards the close as the entire stadium plunged into darkness due to power failure.