[WATCH] Cleiton Silva scores another stunning free kick in stoppage time to seal victory for East Bengal FC

When Cleiton Silva stands over the ball and fixes his gaze on the top corner before taking a free-kick, you know there is going to be only one outcome. In this instance, Hyderabad FC bore witness to the mastery of the Brazilian magician, and that too in the dying moments of the match.

This scenario isn't unfamiliar either. Just last season, Silva taunted his former club, Bengaluru FC, with a remarkable free-kick from a similar distance, beating Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. This time, he outwitted the ever-present Laxmnikant Kattimani.

The game appeared destined for a 1-1 draw, with Hyderabad FC effectively restricting East Bengal for the majority of the match, until the third minute of stoppage time. Saul Crespo earned a free-kick in a dangerous area, and there was only one player to take it.

As Silva stepped up, the ball dipped and swerved past the wall, kissing the post before nestling into the back of the net. As soon as the ball found its mark, East Bengal's players and their supporters at the Salt Lake Stadium erupted in jubilation, as the Torchbearers snatched two points from Hyderabad FC's grasp.

You can watch the goal below:

While Silva's free-kick goal stole the spotlight, his initial goal was also a thing of beauty that leveled the proceedings. The Nizams took an unexpected lead in the 8th minute, but it took just 90 seconds to break their resistance.

A long pass was misjudged by Nim Dorjee, and amidst the chaos in the penalty area, Silva was in the right place at the right time to lob the goalkeeper from close range. This was a huge goal considering the circumstances, as it shifted the momentum in favor of East Bengal.

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Cleiton Silva carries East Bengal FC to secure three points

The 36-year-old Brazilian notably arrived late into East Bengal’s preseason training. He did not start in the Durand Cup and the first game of the ISL season against Jamshedpur FC.

However, this time around, Caudrat opted to leave Javier Siverio on the bench and trusted Cleiton Silva to lead the line.

Silva unquestionably delivered, netting two goals, including the equalizer, and the match-winning free-kick in stoppage time. This performance will solidify his place in the starting lineup, a position that had been in doubt when Javier Siverio joined the club.

The win takes East Bengal FC to fourth in the table, and they remain unbeaten in the league. While it's still early days, the Torchbearers appear to be strong contenders for a top-four finish, given their quality and the presence of match-winners among their ranks.