Marti Crespi netted a goal a minute from time to help East Bengal beat TRAU FC 2-1 in an I-League fixture Saturday. The victory took the red-and-gold brigade to eight points and top of the standings after four rounds.
The hosts went ahead in the first half through Marcos de la Espada, but the strike was neutralised by Deepak Devrani who found the target during injury-time in the opening period.
Riding on the confidence of its 4-1 win away at Neroca, East Bengal began strongly. The host missed Spanish attacker Jaime Santos, who was suspended. He was replaced by Ronaldo Oliveira.
Samad Ali Mallick made a move for East Bengal in the eighth minute, but his attempt, from the top of the box, went off the cross-piece. Samad turned provider 10 minutes later, his floater into the TRAU box helping Espada nod home. East Bengal failed to hold on to its advantage for long as TRAU defender Deepak scored the equaliser in the first minute of added time.
East Bengal struggled to break through TRAU defence after the break. It finally found a way, in the 89th, when defender Crespi provided the perfect finish.
The result: East Bengal 2 (Marcos de la Espada 17, Marti Crespi 89) bt TRAU FC 1 (Deepak Devrani 45+1).
