Fed Cup: East Bengal blank Bagan, to meet Lajong in final

Five time champions East Bengal struck twice in the second session to blank Mohun Bagan 2-0 and set up a summit clash against Lajong FC in the Federation Cup football tournament in Guwahati on Thursday.

Veteran striker Yusif Yakubu (56th minute) and Mehtab Hussain (89th) scored for the winners at the Nehru Stadium as the Red-and-Gold brigade took sweet revenge of their last edition semi-final loss in Kolkata via penalty shootout.

Mohun Bagan talisman Jose Ramirez Barretto failed to convert a penalty kick in the 33rd minute and that really proved a fatal mistake.

East Bengal will now take on Lajong FC in the final on January 3 and the winner will qualify for the 2010 AFC Cup.

This will be East Bengal's 13th final appearance in the country's top league-cum-knockout tournament, four less than Mohun Bagan who have won the title a record 13 times.