Agencies

PUNE: Harmanjot Singh Khabra struck twice as East Bengal blanked Air India 3-0 in a round five I-League football encounter at Balewadi Sports Complex Stadium, here, Saturday.

Khabra scored in the 37^th and 64^th minutes to underline East Bengal’s dominance as Trevor Morgan showed his strategy to start with 3-3-4 formation with Edeh Chidi, Manandeep Singh and Ishfaq Ahmed in front, paid off.

Penn Orji scored in the 75^th minute to complete the rout, a result that left the fight for the top three positions wide open.

East Bengal surged ahead when Harmanjot Khabra ran down the flank to surprise Air India defence before slotting in the first goal for the Kolkata outfit.

In the added time of the first half, Vijith Shetty’s over-exuberance earned him a yellow card that was totally avoidable.

Khabra inflated the Bengal tally in the 64^th minute. Khabra almost completed his hat-trick but his header was palmed out.

Penn Orji drove the final nail into the rival coffin in the 75^th minute.