Mohun Bagan post 1-0 win over East Bengal

Continuing their dream unbeaten run, Mohun Bagan posted a 1-0 grudge win over East Bengal to consolidate their position atop the standings in the I-League football tournament at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan here today.
Young goalkeeper Debjit Majumder made all the difference with a standout performance with as many as half a dozen stunning saves to earn a second successive Man-of-the-Match award in front of a packed 50,000-odd crowd.
It was Balwant Singh who put his name on the board with his 47th minute effort from a Katsumi Yusa cross to give the green and maroon brigade their first I-League derby win since November 20, 2011 when they had won by an identical margin.

Their sixth win from nine outings pushed Mohun Bagan (21) four points clear of reigning champions Bengaluru FC with one match in hand.
It was an agonising defeat for the other city heavyweights and last season's runner-up East Bengal who came close on so many occasions but a goal simply eluded them to suffer their second defeat from nine matches.
East Bengal (13 points) will have a herculean task now to replicate last season's show.

Majumder, who was also adjudged MoM in their 1-0 win against Dempo in the last outing here, credited the team for their win.
"The win was very important to stay on top. I'm not the only reason behind the win. Everybody gave their 100 per cent so we won the match," a humble Majumder said.

East Bengal might have got several chances but Mohun Bagan were the ones to grab the first opportunity and it was their Japanese forward Yusa who was the architect of the decisive goal.
Yusa picked up the ball from the right side of the box and dribbled past Robert Lalthlamuana who was completely at sea.
The Japanese's strike however was deined by Subhasish Roy Chowdhury as the ball ricocheted to Balwant who scored with ease with the ball going past the East Bengal captain Harmanjyot Khabra's legs.
Having scored against the run of play, Mohun Bagan were all over East Bengal who suddenly paled in comparison.

Young Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Majumder, who's playing in place of an indisposed Shilton Paul, was the hero of the first 45 minutes as his acrobatic saves meant that East Bengal had to be content with a goalless scoreline at the break.