I-League 2019-20; NEROCA FC go down 1-4 to East Bengal

IMPHAL, Dec 10
Less a disallowed ghost goal, East Bengal defeated NEROCA FC 4-1 in a 2019-20 I-League tie at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal, on Tuesday.
Jaime Santos (20', 50') converted twice from the spot while Juan Mera Gonzalez (33') and Marcos Jimenez (64') were also on target for the Kolkata giants while Boubacar Diarra (31') scored the lone goal for NEROCA.
Gift Raikhan made three changes for the home side as Gaty Kouami, Khaiminthang Lhungdim and Ngangom Ronald Singh made way for Siam Hanghal, Shaikhom Ronald Singh and Yawo Zico Sekle; while the visitor's coach Alejandro Mendendez included Asheer Akhtar and Kamalpreet Singh in his first 11 in place of Mehtab Singh and Tondonba Naorem.
Marcos Jimenez headed wide a Juan Mera corner in the ninth minute and it should have been East Bengal leading by a goal in the 18th minute when Jaime sent a through ball for Juan Mera whose shot came off Taryk Sampson. The ball however, ghosted out and back in from a hole in the net.
The Red and Golds did eventually go ahead courtesy of Jamie converting from the spot in the 20th minute after Juan Mera was brought down in the box by Ronald. The ball escaped the net possibly through the same hole in the net which left suspicions if the previous attempt was a ghost goal.
The 31st minute brought about the equaliser as Diarra went unchallenged as he headed in Chanso Horam's, but two minutes later, Juan Mera rocketed in a direct free-kick from the edge of the box to restore his side's lead after Ousmane Diwara was guilty of bringing down Marcos Jimenez.
Diarra almost scored another equaliser in the 38th minute but his glancing header from Ronald Singh's cross in the box went inches wide.
It took just six minutes in the second half for East Bengal to go 3-1 up as Jamie converted another penalty after Horam was guilty party of handling the ball in the box.
Horam, in attempt to make amends for his mistake, struck the woodwork in the 62nd minute before NEROCA goalkeeper Marvin Phillip uncharacteristically failed to punch out Pintu Mahata's cross from the right as Marcos Jimenez slotted it in from the far side two minutes later.
Phillip pulled off an outright save off Abhishek in the 69th minute and the rebound was blocked by Zodingliana Ralte while East Bengal goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte had to deal with a deflection off Akhtar after Diarra attempted a header off substitute Kouami's cross.
The win took Menendez's side third with five points from three games while NEROCA remain in the bottom half of the table with three points from as many matches.     Agencies