East Bengal moved closer to the National Football league title after getting past arch-rivals and defending champions Mohun Bagan 2-1 in a seventh round match in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Alvito D'Cunha put East Bengal ahead early in the match, but Bagan's Brazilian import Jose Barreto restored parity in the initial minutes of the second session, before leading goal-scorer Mike Okoro struck the winner to take East Bengal's points tally to 40 points from 16 outings.
The table toppers now have a clear 13 points lead over nearest rivals Salgaocar Sports Club, who are on 27.
Bagan have culled a point less than the Goan side.
Okoro, who is at the top of the goal-getter's chart with 14 strikes, four more than Bagan's George Ekeh, put up a fine display at the well-attended Salt Lake stadium match.
He not only scored the winner, but also set up D'Cunha's goal, besides spearheading most of his side's attacks.
The Nigerian did the spadework in the 10th minute, essaying a defence splitting pass from the right to S Venkatesh inside the box. The medio quickly released the ball to his left for D'Cunha, who banged home with a right footer.
Trailing 0-1 at the break, Bagan equalised in the 54th minute when the ball came off the East Bengal custodian and Barreto unleashed a diagonal left footer from the left which went in.
However, East Bengal had the last laugh in the 72nd minute as pint-sized dynamo Sashthi Duley, despite being hemmed in by three Bagan defenders, centred for an unmarked Okoro deep inside thw box, and the Nigerian found the target with a low header.
