East Bengal extended their unbeaten streak to six games as they got past a hapless Mumbai FC 2-0, while Aizawl FC beat DSK Shivajians and Minerva Punjab FC played a draw against Churchill Brothers FC Goa in the I-League football matches on Wednesday.
Trinidad and Tobago forward Willis Plaza stamped his class with a brilliant first half display in which he scored two goals (10th and 17th) in a span of seven minutes to leave the visitors in a daze at the Barasat Stadium here.
In the other matches of the day, Minerva shared the spoils with Churchill in Ludhiana, while Aizawl FC came back to their winning ways by defeating DSK Shivajians 1-0 in Aizawl.
East Bengal are now on 16 points from six matches, having played one more than arch-rivals Mohun Bagan who are on 13 from five games. Aizawl are third with 13 points from six games.
It took East Bengal just 10 minutes to break the deadlock. Plaza let loose a rasping left-footer after Rahul Bheke swept in a cross from the right.
The red and gold brigade were 2-0 up seven minutes later, this time Plaza taking Pires for a ride and hammering home another beautiful left footer.
East Bengal entered the break with a two-goal cushion. In the second half, there was not much to talk about save substitute Victorino Fernandes colliding with Narayan Das and picking up a head injury. He was replaced by India veteran Steven Dias.
Coming to the Churchill-Minerva game, the Goan side opted to bank on their winning formula playing the same eleven and same formation 4-1-4-1 against Minerva.
The game saw a lot of end-to-end action, with Minerva having most of the opportunities.
Both teams got chances to score in the first half but Minerva failed to convert.
In the second half, the game began to build up as Minerva and Churchill Brothers started using the width of the field and putting pressure in the opposition halves but neither of them managed to break the deadlock till the end.
At Aizawl, Brandon Vanlalremdika, who came on from the bench at the stroke of the hour mark, scored for the hosts to clinch the match.
Both teams started the match on a good note. In the fifth minute, DSK Shivajians were awarded a free kick from 40 yards out, but they failed to utilise the opportunity.
Many shots from both the teams failed to find the back of the net.
In spite of the moves made by both sides to change the score-line in their favour, the first half ended goalless.
--IANS
dm/pur/bg
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