Humiliation at home. That’s East Bengal for you on Sankranti day.

The red and gold brigade were thrashed 1-3 by Gokulam Kerala FC at the Kalyani Stadium in an I-League match on Wednesday. More than the result, it was the way Alejandro Menendez Garcia’s men capitulated in front of the home supporters that made things worse. The players lacked intent and were outsmarted by the clinical Kerala FC.

With Sunday’s Derby clash against Mohun Bagan looming, East Bengal were expected to put up a performance that would have boosted their confidence. Instead, what they dished out was abysmally bad.

So much so that it was difficult to figure out who fared worst. The backline, the midfield or the striking force.

This was also the second defeat on the trot for East Bengal.

They lost to Churchill Brothers on January 4 and are now sixth in the I-League table with eight points from six matches. Gokulam Kerala are fourth with 10 points from six matches.

“I think we had a bad day,” was all East Bengal coach Alejandro could say at the post-match media conference.“We conceded the second goal when we were playing well and after that the game just went out of our control,” the Spaniard said.

“In the second half, Kerala FC scored another goal and we couldn’t script a comeback. We made glaring mistakes and paid for that,” Alejandro said.

East Bengal goalkeeper Lalthuamawia Ralte effected a great save in the 15th minute. The diminutive goalkeeper first blocked Henry Kiseka’s push and on the rebound he denied Marcus Joseph from giving the visitors the lead.

Six minutes later Kerala FC took the lead. Sebastian Thangmuansang cut in from the right and played it to Kiseka, who dribbled past his marker Abhiskek Ambekar and put the ball home.

Though East Bengal were not doing anything right, they didn’t have wait much for the equaliser. They got a free-kick in the 27th minute and Asheer Akhtar headed Lalrindika Ralte’s curling delivery.

It hit the far post and Kassim Aidara was at the right place at the right moment to prod it home.

In the injury time of the first half came the Marti Crespi howler. In an attempt to clear Marcus’s shot, the Spanish central defender slotted the ball in for an own-goal. Marcus scored Kerala FC’s third goal in the 65th minute.

As expected, Kerala FC coach Santiago Varela sounded happy after the match. “I think we showed how our team is. We showed how to play against this kind of a team. The youngsters did not let me down,” Varela said.

Solidarity

In a show of solidarity for Spanish defender Borja Gomez Perez’s son Mauro, East Bengal fans clapped for a minute in the third minute of the match.

The defender wears jersey No. 3. Borja had gone to Spain for his son’s operation, which went well on Monday. The minute-long clap was the only bright spot for East Bengal.