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IFA Shield winners East Bengal pipped a spirited Dempo Sports Club from Goa 3-2 in an absorbing 11th round match of the National Football League at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata on Monday.
After Dempo's E B Channa scored a suicidal self goal in the third minute, the Goa side restored parity in the very next minute through Raman Vijayan.
Dempo, who had earlier lost to Mohun Bagan 1-5, were a transformed lot today as they snatched the lead when Channa made amends for his lapse and scored with a fine volley in the 14th minute.
But East Bengal drew level through Mike Okoro nine minutes into the second-half and then regained the lead midway through the second-half as Okoro again found the target through a fine header.
East Bengal could have won by a bigger margin had not their medio Chandan Das missed the penalty earlier in the match.
With this victory East Bengal buttressed their position to remain at the top of the table with 27 points, while Salgaocar moved to the second position with 22 points.
Dempo slid down to the third spot with 20 points.
The match started on a fast pace and both sides went on attacking alternatively right after the kick-off. East Bengal forged ahead in the third minute following a self goal by Dempo's Sri Lankan striker E B Channa. Trying to clear an Alvito D'Cunha swerving free-kick from a distance, Channa, who was guarding East Bengal medio Douglas Santos, sent the ball to his own goal (1-0).
But the jubilation was shortlived as Channa made amends for his lapse, immediately setting up a goal for Raman Vijayan inside the box. Vijayan scored neatly (1-1) after Channa initiated the move from the centre.
East Bengal stepped up their attack and came near scoring but their strikers D'Cunha and Okoro failed to cash in on many chances. On the other hand, Dempo scored again to snatch the lead in the 14th minute.
Collecting the ball from medio Bijen Singh, Channa ran through the left flank, sped past an East Bengal defender and beat their keeper Sandip Nandy with a left-footed volley (2-1).
East Bengal forced a few more chances before the breather, all of which proved abortive. While D'Cunha shot straight to the goalkeeper in the 31st minute, his fine header off a Musah centre was saved by Dempo 'keeper Fernandes.
East Bengal also had the misfortune of missing a penalty which was awarded to them when Okoro was obstructed by Dempo defender Jose Lusiano inside the dreaded zone in the 37th minute. But to the dismay of all Bengal supporters, medio Chandan Das's spot-kick hit the left post.
After the breather, East Bengal went desperate for the equaliser. They drew parity in the 54th minute. The goal was the result of a beautiful combined move. Collecting the ball, Okoro put Musah in possession and advanced. Okoro in turn passed the ball to Musah again and the last-named found the target amid roaring cheers of the East Bengal supporters (2-2).
The equaliser provided the necessary impetus to the Red and Yellow brigade who kept pounding the rival fort till they took the lead in the 24th minute after the changeover.
Collecting the ball from medio Venkatesh, Subhas Chakraborty, who replaced Dipankar Roy in the second-half and sharpened the attack, moved down the right flank and released a measured centre. Okoro, who was following the move, headed home neatly 3-2 to clinch th issue for Easty Bengal.