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East Bengal FC head coach Oscar Bruzon expressed his delight after his side's impressive victory over Mohammedan SC in the Kolkata Derby on Sunday.
Following a disappointing home defeat to Chennaiyin FC, the Red and Gold Brigade started the match in a determined mood. Naorem Mahesh Singh put them ahead in the 27th minute with a clinical finish, giving them a one-goal lead at halftime. Captain Saul Crespo, who came on as a substitute in the second half, doubled the lead from close range after an assist from Raphael Messi Bouli. Franca pulled one back for Mohammedan SC just three minutes later, but David Lalhlansanga sealed the win late in the game, securing East Bengal FC's first-ever Kolkata Derby victory in the Indian Super League (ISL). Speaking at the post-match press conference, Bruzon emphasized the significance of the Derby win and expressed his pride in claiming the bragging rights. "It is very important. As I said yesterday, the season is full of setbacks. Derbies are very important. This is not about two teams," Bruzon said as quoted by the ISL official website. "Derbies are always about passion, legacy, and pride. So I think that from the reaction of our fans at the end of the game, they appreciated the work of the players, and it's an important day for us because last week was really, really tough," he added. Both Crespo and Lalhlansanga came on as second-half substitutes and made an immediate impact off the bench, both finding the net, with the latter registering his third goal as a substitute this season. Bruzon emphasized the importance of squad depth, something they had lacked in recent weeks. "One of the plus points of our team for today was the power of the bench. You can see that Saul came in and scored, David came in and scored. So this is something that we were lacking over the last few weeks." "We didn't find that consistency during the 90 minutes, but I think that today the team was playing well, holding the rival, keeping the shape, and going very seriously about the tactical discipline. I need to praise my players today because they did a beautiful job," stated the Spaniard. Naorem Mahesh Singh started the game in central midfield before shifting to his more natural role as a winger toward the latter stages. The Indian international was a constant threat and has seemed well-adjusted to his new role. Speaking about his position, Bruzon said, "He prefers to play on the wing. He used to play in that (central) position, but I think that he's a creative player. He has something different from all the Indian players. His talent is there for the eyes of everybody to see. Today, I think that he was the king of the midfield, and game by game, he's getting more confidence. He's enjoying the position, and he's been a key player for us," said Bruzon. "With Mahesh, I'm really happy, not only with his performance today and his goal, but also because he's helping the team in the position that the coach is thinking. He's believing more and more that when he's needed in that area, he can have the confidence to feel strong and understand better the characteristics of the central areas," he concluded. (ANI)
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