Laldanmawia Ralte, Lalrindika Ralte, Brandon Vanlalremdika and Lalram Chullova have all been key players for East Bengal in the current Hero I-League, which can very well see the ‘Red and Gold’ lift the trophy – given Chennai City FC drop points against Minerva Punjab FC, and Quess East Bengal win against Gokulam Kerala FC.

After spending two seasons away, it was a homecoming for Lalrindika Ralte when he signed for QEBFC for the current season. The other three players joined the Kolkata giant in 2017 from former Hero I-League champions Aizawl FC, and this assimilation built a great bonding flavour in the Red and Gold camp.

While the Red and Gold dressing room has players is a wonderful symphony of cosmopolitan culture, the little chats or convenient interactions in mother tongue for the Mizoram players helps them to connect better. The hard work during training and the relaxed dressing room environment has shown its colours on the bright performance of the Mizo Brigade.

After an eight-match unbeaten streak, Quess East Bengal sit a point adrift of leaders Chennai City, with 39 points. With March 9 being the showdown, the Mizo Quartet will play a vital role to ensure Quess East Bengal FC success and lift the coveted I-League championship.

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The Red & Golds will keep an eye on league leaders Chennai City FC, who are just three points ahead of them. Chennai has played a game more.

The game is crucial for Churchill who is at fourth. A win on Sunday would catapult them to second as the league enters a crucial phase.

The hosts eked out an impressive odd-goal win against the Goan outfit in the first leg game the previous year. Given how QEB beat Shillong Lajong 5-0 in the previous game, Churchill will be wary of the home team’s form.

Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia got the best out of QEB’s Indian and foreign players. He has used the squad judiciously throughout the campaign.

Garcia’s team is the only in the 11-team league to have an Indian player as top-scorer. Jobby Justin’s nine goals make him numero uno in the goal scorer’s list. Laldanmawia Ralte scored seven goals and is second best in QEB’s scoring charts.

Garcia said this at the pre-game press conference: “Churchill Brothers is a difficult team. This team has always been close to the top of the table and they score very easily which is very dangerous for our team. I prepare to win matches and if I prepare something for defence, then it will not be for one player. It will be for defending against the team and to avoid the opponent getting chances. We have our plan to win against Churchill Brothers and not against Plaza or anyone individually.”

Churchill endured a shock-loss to bottom-placed Shillong Lajong at home. It may come to haunt them as the league reaches its business end.

They have had two standout contributors this season. Trinidadian striker Willis Deon Plaza has notched up a phenomenal 17 goals in as many games. He was scoring at will at one stage of the campaign!

Skipper Dawda Cessay has been the other standout player. His nine assists are the most by any player in the league. As revealed by their coach, his absence will be a big blow for Churchill.

Churchill’s Romanian coach Petre Gigui had this to say: “Tomorrow’s match is not a do or die match for us. We will be fighting like every other game but it will be difficult. It is not the same atmosphere because we have lost many points in the last three games. Maybe the pressure was too much and at the same time we don’t have the complete first 11 players – Eldor, Ceesay, Mohanraj, Richard Costa – they are all injured and won’t be playing tomorrow. Tomorrow we will be playing against a very good team. They have good players and very good foreigners too. Plus their spectators’ support will be there because the people in Kolkata love their football.”

Expect a cracker at the VYBK on Sunday!

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Laldanmawia’s hat-trick and a goal apiece from Jobby Justin and Enrique Esqueda made all the difference for the Red and Gold outfit.

The win keeps QEB on track for a first-ever Hero I-League title triumph, pushing them up to third on the points table, just one behind second-placed Real Kashmir and three shy of leaders Chennai City FC. QEB has played one game less than the mentioned teams.

Shillong recorded their 12th defeat in 16 games and has conceded 44 goals to remain at the bottom of the league.

Relegation looms for them now!

QEB displayed a master class and it sent warning signs to their closest rivals. Each of their five goals was wonderfully constructed — the result of the efforts put in training. They have been ably led by Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia.

QEB and Shillong went into the game with relatively conservative formations keeping in mind their respective attacking prowess.

Garcia who is making a reputation as one of the shrewdest brains to have operated in domestic football benched Kamalpreet for a more traditional left wing-back in Manoj Mohammad. He clearly left the attacking line open, starting a fit-again Esqueda to partner Jobby Justin with a four-man midfield behind them.

Shillong gaffer Allison Kharsyntiew fielded an unchanged side from their win against Churchill Brothers. He played a 4-5-1.

QEB was on fire from the start and it was clear that Garcia had instructed them to sew up the game as early as possible given Shillong’s attacking prowess. QEB as per statistics had 67% possession!

After Justin hashed a free header in the 4th minute off a Danmawia cross, the Mizo winger decided to take things into his own hands four minutes later. Following Lalrindika ‘Didika’ Ralte’s delivery from a corner, he rose to head the ball home from close range. Garcia’s strategy had worked!

Shillong got two chances in two minutes. The first was a free-kick by Samuel Lyngdoh which sailed over. The second came a minute later as a QEB defensive lapse allowed Buam to go clear inside the box only for his first touch to let him down.

Shillong had only a few of such moments as the Red & Golds took over. Danmawia Ralte, in the 27th minute, was set up by centre back Borja Gomez, who displayed great vision in playing a long ball from just outside the QEB box.

Ralte made a perfectly-timed run and brought the ball down with an exquisite first touch. He saw goalkeeper Purbha Lachempa out of his line and unleashed a left-footed curler on the second touch to put the ball into the Shillong net for the second time in the game.  It happened so quickly that it left the home fans in awe!

There was more from QEB. A minute later, a ball from Tony Dovale found Esqueda and the Mexican lobbed over an onrushing Lachempa into the centre of the box.  Jobby Justin rose above two Shillong defenders to nod home for his ninth goal of the league campaign.

Esqueda also got on the scoresheet at the end of the first half thanks to superb skills and judgment.

Didika once again delivered from the right as he directed a ball at the Mexican who tapped in a volley past a stunned Lachempa. QEB was 4-0 ahead with half the game still left to play!

There was no respite for Shillong as Danmawia sealed his hat-trick in the 61st minute thanks to a brilliant team effort by QEB.

Kassim Aidara, who had a great game in central midfield, found substitute Jamie Colado on the right flank. The young Spaniard turned his marker in and drove towards goal, cutting in for Justin who had made a run on his inside.

The Keralite striker showed selflessness and vision for the second time in the game, stepping over for Danmawia further inside and in the clear. The Mizo had a weak first touch but recovered in time to slot the ball home.

The game was done and dusted and such was QEB’s dominance that Shillong could not muster a single corner kick in the game.

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The 2-1 result was the same as the earlier game at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) where East Bengal had lost after taking the lead.

Chennai’s Spanish striker Pedro Manzi scored his 11th goal of the season while Romario Jesuraj also scored to take the hosts to the top of the 12th Hero I-League, five points ahead of second-placed Churchill Brothers.

East Bengal are on sixth with a game in hand. Despite Laldanmawia Ralte’s fourth goal of the season their hopes of winning a first ever I-League trophy looks like a mirage.

Both teams made one change to their starting eleven. East Bengal coach Alejandro Garcia was forced to replace Lalram Chullova (suspended after a red-card in the game against Indian Arrows) with Samad Ali Mallick.

Chennai coach Akbar Nawas, on the other hand, played Pravitto Raju in place of Shem Martin Eugene.

East Bengal took an early lead in the ninth minute. As defender Borja desperately headed back across goal in a bid to clear…the ball fell to Ralte who nodded home from close range!

Chennai upped the ante as they searched for an equalizer. A wonderful pass from Roberto Eslava found its way into the box to Nestor only for Samad to shield him away in the nick of time.

As Sandro unleashed a rasping drive from outside the box East Bengal goalkeeper Dagar executed a fine save in the 34th minute. Though Chennai were a goal down into the break they clearly were the better team.

They equalized in the 49th minute thanks to Manzi’s 11th goal of the season. That strike made him the season’s joint top-scorer with Churchill’s Willis Plaza.

Romario Jesuraj had pulled the ball back for an onrushing Edwin Vanspaul in the build-up to the goal. And as Vanspaul’s strike deflected off Manzi and wrong-footed Dagar…Chennai had equalized!

The hosts later went ahead thanks to a brilliant tactical change by Nawas. Raju was sent wide on the right and Romario Jesuraj was brought in-field.

A failed interception by East Bengal left back Manoj Mohammad allowed Raju to lay it off for Romario who shot to the top right past a befuddled Dagar!

Romario Jesuraj was adjudged the ‘Hero of the Match’.

Both teams play their next game in four days’ time. Chennai play Aizawl at home while East Bengal face an in-form Indian Arrows in Kolkata.

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