East Bengal made short work of Coald India on Friday evening, running out 7-0 winners in the Calcutta Premier Division regular season. The visitors left Salt Lake Stadium with a statement that went beyond three points. Coald India's fourth defeat in five league games leaves them rooted in sixth place, while East Bengal move closer to the summit of the table.
The visitors struck early through M. Bilal in the third minute, catching Coald India still finding their feet. B. Murmu doubled the advantage before half-time, and the hosts never really recovered. To be fair, Coald India looked shell-shocked from the opening exchanges and never mounted any meaningful resistance.
The second half saw East Bengal add four more goals to what was already a comfortable position. A. Hemram found the net in the 52nd and again in the 90th minute, while Murmu completed his brace just before the hour mark. T. Das converted a penalty in the 67th minute, and U. Hansda added a late flourish at 90+4.
By then, Coald India had long since stopped trying. The hosts have now lost four of their last five league fixtures, including heavy defeats to Bhawanipur and Mohun Bagan Super Giant II. This result extends a run that makes their European ambitions seem increasingly distant.
East Bengal's form tells a different story. They remain unbeaten after 13 games with eight victories and five draws, sitting two points clear of whoever leads the table. Their recent results show consistency - draws against Mohammedan and United, but also victories over Kolkata Customs and United Kolkata.
The gulf in quality was evident throughout. Coald India's 22 points from 13 matches puts them firmly in mid-table mediocrity, while East Bengal's 29 points suggests they are genuine title contenders. This was not a contest from the start.
