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East Bengal retained their new-found position at the top, getting past formidable Mahindra United 2-0 in a well-contested eighth National Football League match at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata on Friday.
East Bengal, who had displaced Dempo from the top spot with a 3-1 victory over Salgaocar Sports Club in their previous match, struck in the later stages of each session to boost their points kitty to 27 from 13 games.
Lethal Brazilian Christiano Junior converted a penalty before Baichung Bhutia consolidated the lead towards the close of the match to put it across the Mumbai outfit, who had to play the last 56 minutes with ten men after stopper Arun Malhotra was give marching orders by referee K Shankar.
East Bengal, on a song after a string of wins in the NFL as also the AFC Cup, shot into the lead in the 34th minute. An onrushing Junior found himself in the clear inside the rival box, forcing Malhotra to pull his jersey in a desperate bid to stop him. Shankar awarded a penalty to East Bengal and a red to Malhotra. Junior converted the penalty without any fuss.
The jeepmen began well and established early sway on the midfield, but lost their grip as the session advanced, with the local giants stepping on the gas.
East Bengal played an inspired game in the closing stages of the opening half, but failed to increase the margin.
Post the breather, the red and yellow brigade relied more on sudden moves rather than sustained pressure and Bhutia's 86th minute strike was the product of one such manoeuvre.
Anit Ghosh essayed a measured square pass for the Sikkimese, who banged home with a spectacular right-footer, foxing substitute Mahindra custodian Kalyan Choubey.