East Bengal snapped a three-match losing streak, including a Derby loss against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan, as they beat defending champions Chennai City FC 2-0 to remain in I-League title contention here on Saturday.

Second-half goals by Spanish attackers Marcos Jimenez Espada and Jaime Santos at the Nehru Stadium brought home a well-deserved victory for the Calcutta giants.

East Bengal hardly put a foot wrong on the day with stand-in coach Bastab Roy setting the ball rolling with three changes which paid rich dividends in the game. Mirshad got his first game of the season under the East Bengal bar and had a very good day in the office, while Asheer Akhtar, in the heart of the defence, built on the potential he had already shown earlier in the league.

The first half ended goal-less but the East bengal were clearly in the ascendancy.

East Bengal finally broke through in the 68th minute with Anshumana Kromah having an immediate impact. He played Jaime into the box on the right, and the Spaniard broke away towards the goal line and crossed for Espada to tap it in expertly from close.

Espada took his tally to five for the season. EB then got a second penalty, Jishnu Balakrishnan being adjudged to have brought Jaime down in the box. East Bengal and Jaime were not to be denied a second time and closed out on a much-needed victory. They moved up to fourth spot with 11 points from eight games while Chennai remained eighth with eight points from seven matches.

TRAU on the trot

Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU) FC clinched a 2-1 victory over Aizawl FC in at the Khuman Lampak Stadium here on Saturday.

TRAU are sitting pretty at the third spot with 14 points from nine matches. This was TRAU’s fourth win on the trot.