East Bengal were clearly the better side today, making a deluge of forays into the Bagan box. Although they managed to score two goals, a few other attempts came inches close to the target. Bagan, in contrast, did not have even a single look at the East Bengal goal and were busy defending their citadel most of the time.

Both the teams were without their spearheads today. Although East Bengal did not allow the absence of Bhaichung Bhutia, away to England to try his luck with the English teams, effect their game much, Bagan were badly missing Nigerian Chima Okerie.

In fact, Bagan did not have any bite in their attack and IM Vijayan washardly to be seen. Jo Paul Ancheri, playing in the front with a strapped knee, rarely got to touch the ball in the first half. Later, he was pulled back into the defence, which itself was a broken unit today. There was little coordination between Samuel Omollo and Adebayo Gbadabo, the two stopper backs and gaps opened up for East Bengal without the forwards trying too hard.

The Bagan goal had three close shaves in the initial 12 minutes, with Raman Vijayan putting the ball in from an off-side position in the seventh minute. Three minutes later, Raman Vijayan hit into Bagan goalkeeper Dinesh Nayar from six-yards. Dinesh was again in the act in the 12th minute, diving to save a Suley Musah shot. Musah, the right back, had overlapped right up to the Bagan box.

Musah was creating problems for Bagan throughout with his swift overlaps. With Carlton Chapman also playing well on the right flank, most of the East Bengal moves were orchestrated from that region. The first goal came from such a move with Musahpassing to Chapman close to the half line on the right. Chapman floated a cross into the box and Dipendu Biswas came rushing to head in.

The second half was more or less similar with East Bengal continuing to pound the Bagan defence from the right. In fact, Raman Vijayan hit the Bagan sidenet off a Chapman pass in the 47th minute. Eight minutes later, Musah caught a stray ball and crossed to Emmanuel Opoku, whose 25-yarder slammed into the upright. Another Opoku sizzler, off a Basudeb Mondal flag-kick from 30 yards this time, was just about tipped over by Dinesh Nayar.

Even as Opoku threatened with his long-rangers, it was a Chapman snap-shot which fetched East Bengal the second goal. Chapman received a pass from Opoku in the 63rd minute, controlled it briefly before taking a sudden right-footer from 20 yards. The ball passed between a diving Dinesh and the upright to his right. East Bengal withdrew after that, but ensured that none of the Bagan moves reached their box.