AFC Cup Quarter-final First Leg: East Bengal 1-0 Semen Padang – Five Talking Points

Sueoka should be a regular starter

Ryuji SueokaPhoto Credit: Kingfisher East Bengal

Falopa has only been in charge for about two months but has already been the subject of some criticism from the ever demanding local media in Kolkata with the focus being on a reported fall out between the Brazilian and Japanese signing Ryuji Sueoka. The controversy started in pre-season with Falopa consistently questioning Sueoka’s fitness following a training injury. The Japanese was kept on the bench for East Bengal’s opening local league encounter and also not in the starting eleven on Tuesday.

Sueoka, however, came on to grab the winner against Semen Padang to not only remind Falopa of his quality but also give the local media another chance to point the finger at the East Bengal coach. However, Sueoka’s admission after the win on Tuesday that he still needs games to be fully fit suggests that there was a valid reason behind Falopa’s decision to not start with the playmaker.

Sueoka’s super-sub act must have now cleared away any doubts in Falopa’s mind about the former Mohun Bagan player’s class. The Brazilian coach even stated after the game that Sueoka will start in the second leg and rightly so. In fact, with four foreigners allowed in the first eleven now, the 34-year-old should be a sure starter for the red-and-gold brigade in the I-League also because his ability to create chances and score goals from deeper positions is second to none in the current East Bengal squad.