Indian Super Cup 2018, Semifinal: East Bengal vs FC Goa, 5 Talking Points

East Bengal were made to dig deep but eventually triumphed, securing a vital 1-0 victory over FC Goa in the semi-final of the Indian Super Cup on Monday. Dudu scored the only goal of the match twelve minutes from time.

In a match where both sides failed to take their chances, EB were the better side in the larger scheme of things. Goa's captain, Edu Bedia was sent off with ten minutes remaining. East Bengal will now face the winners of Bengaluru and Mohun Bagan in the final. Here are the major talking points from tonight's lively encounter.

#1 FC Goa start on the worst possible note

Beginning the game nervously is now how you would want your team to approach a semi-final. Yet FC Goa could not have started the game any worse. Their players looked sluggish and extremely slow on the ball.

From the kick-off spot, Edu Bedia sent his shot out of the park, as a sign of protest for what had happened in the match between FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC. To make matters worse, the Gaurs looked devoid of ideas and let East Bengal dominate proceedings from the get-go.

Far too often, passes were misplaced, fell short of their target and this enabled their opponents to play the game at their own tempo. Usual suspects, Coro and Mandar were a shadow of their usual selves.

#2 Al Amna and Katsumi Yusa run riot in the final third

Al Amna ran riot in midfield. (Photo: Super Cup)

Playing with a wide smile on his face, Katsumi Yusa was thoroughly enjoying every moment of the crunch semi-final clash against FC Goa. For large parts of the first half, he looked at ease and combined effectively with fellow midfielder, Mahmoud Al Amna.

East Bengal's two creative linchpins occupied clever positions in the final third and regularly made inroads into dangerous areas of the pitch. Goa had a torrid time in keeping up with them and their zonal marking approach just wasn't working.

The deadly duo played flowing football and enabled their teammates to get into the thick of things as EB continued to pile on the pressure during the opening forty-five minutes. Yusa and Amna played a central role on a day when they had to be at their best against an attack-minded Goa outfit. The former and Dudu were both denied by Kattimani from a 1v1 position.

#3 High pressing by EB frustrates FC Goa

East

Begal

were closing down the gaps quickly. (Photo: Super Cup)

The Gaurs are a team that likes to keep the ball and pass it from the back. They're a side that thrives on free-flowing football. However today, they were hardly given the opportunity to do so.

East Bengal approached this game with a different mentality and were intent on stifling their opponents from attempting to play their way out of their own half. Every single EB player was incessantly pressing Goa's players, especially through the first half.

When they didn't have the ball, striker, Dudu tracked back all the way to the centre circle, displaying his commitment to the cause. Gurwinder Singh was a thorn regularly halting play with both quality and cynical tackles. Goa were frustrated today and didn't like it one bit.

#4 East Bengal and FC Goa both wasteful in front of goal

Both sides waste plenty of chances. (Photo: Super Cup)

If the first half was littered with brawls and cynical tackles, the second half came to life with players from both teams displaying their skills. FC Goa and East Bengal consistently traded blows early in the second half and one of them surely ought to have found the opening within the first fifteen minutes.

EB had three clear-cut opportunities, however, striker, Dudu fluffed his chances in front of goal twice in as many minutes. Al Amna then burst wonderfully into the box before he was expertly shouldered off the ball by Goa's CB, Seriton.

At the other end, Goa had their best chance but Edu Bedia failed to keep his composure. The game well and truly opened up in the second half but both sides lacked the quality to put the game to bed.

#5 Dudu finally breaks the deadlock an

Dudu came up with the all-important goal. (Photo: Super Cup)

With twelve minutes left, East Bengal could not have picked a better time to score, deep into the second half. Having missed some glorious chances early on, Dudu made amends scoring the all-important winner today.

Usual suspect, Katsumi Yusa whipped in a delightful low lying cross from the left wing into the box. The ball bounced before scurrying past Goa's back four and Dudu was at the end, to toe poke his shot past a hapless, Kattimani who tried his best to make himself big but couldn't do much with that.

All night long Dudu and Yusa threatened. Eventually it was this duo that combined to break the deadlock. That move had quality written all over it.