ISL 2024-25: Diamantakos strike gives East Bengal narrow win against Jamshedpur FC

ISL 2024-25: Diamantakos strike gives East Bengal narrow win against Jamshedpur FC

East Bengal FC posted consecutive wins at home for the first time in the Indian Super League when it downed Jamshedpur FC by a solitary goal at the Salt Lake Stadium, here on Saturday.

Greek striker Dimitrios Diamantakos found the only goal of the match at the hour mark to secure the full quota of points. East Bengal, which downed Punjab FC 4-2 in the previous match, climbed to 10th in the 13-team league standings with 13 points from 12 matches, while Jamshedpur FC remains in seventh with 18 from 11.

The opening session produced some excitement towards the end when East Bengal discovered its rhythm and made some good incursions. The host almost got a goal in the 27th minute when Cleiton Silva set up Nandhakumar Sekar unmarked inside the box. The East Bengal winger hesitated for a moment, allowing the Jamshedpur goalkeeper Albino Gomes to close in for a save.

East Bengal played some nice one-touch passes around the Jamshedpur box, but the home side’s finishing remained tardy, allowing the scoreline to stay unchanged at the break.

With Jamshedpur playing defensive, apparently looking to steal a point, East Bengal utilised the lack of resolve in the opposition ranks to find the break early after the break.

Nandhakumar set up the opportunity, whipping in a sharp cross that the young P.V. Vishnu failed to flick home. However, Diamantakos followed the ball from the far end to slot it home.

This completed another essay on the transformation of East Bengal under its new Spanish coach Oscar Bruzon. Despite missing two of its key midfielders, Saul Crespo and Madih Talal owing to injury, Bruzon found the right replacements to set the team in good shape.

Having seen the pace and control of Vishnu against Punjab FC, Bruzon put the young winger at the start to add balance to the attack. Vishnu combined well with Nandhakumar, who operated on the right wing, to mobilise the flanks that opened up the game for East Bengal.

The Red and Gold’s creative play was largely aided by its Brazilian forward Cleiton Silva, who did well as the play-maker assisting most of the attacks including the goal.