I-LEAGUE Media Team

NEW DELHI: Kingfisher East Bengal settled for a point against Sporting Club de Goa after drawing 1-1 in their opening Hero I-League encounter at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Sunday

East Bengal took the lead in the seventh minute through Ranti Martins but Sporting Clube fought back and got the equalizer in the 79th minute.

East Bengal got the start they needed as they found the back of the net in the seventh minute, their first and only shot on goal in the first 45 minutes.

Nigerian striker Ranti Martins found himself at the right end of a long ball from Cavin Lobo and he did enough to draw out goalkeeper Ravi Kumar and then finish with an angular shot that sailed into the net.

East Bengal relaxed after the goal and it allowed Sporting Clube the liberty to assert themselves. Mauvin Borges and Rowlin Borges both held the midfield together but none of them could come up with the incisive passes that Anthony Wolfe was looking for upfront.

Sporting’s opening chance came in the 16th minute as Ogba Kalu’s through ball to Wolfe saw him pick Joseph Pereira and when a deflection had fallen at the feet of Mauvin Borges, goalkeeper Subhashish Roy Chowdhury was on hand to parry the ball away to safety.

Subhashish was again called into action a few minutes later as Mauvin’s free kick created some uncertainty in the danger zone before the East Bengal goalkeeper did the needful.

East Bengal, apart from the goal, had little to show in the opening session. Joaquim Abranches saw a cross out of his reach and Rojen Singh, the Sporting Clube defender, robbed Mehtab Hossain of possession when he appeared to be in good position to take a shot at goal.

In the second session, Sporting Clube made two good substitutions as coach Mathew D’Costa brought in Bevan D’Mello and Prathesh Shirodkar. The two players added to Sporting Clube’s strengths and it was no surprise that they got the equalizer which came in the 79th minute after Rowlin Borges picked up Kalu with a through ball and the Nigerian midfielder finished well from close range.