A late equaliser from Nigerian forward Dudu Omagbemi saved East Bengal the blushes as they drew 1-1 against Mumbai FC in an I-League encounter at en empty Salt Lake stadium here on Saturday.
It was the visitors who struck in the 33rd minute after Brazilian Josimar Martins converted from the spot. Josimar was dragged down in the penalty area and the referee had no choice but to award Mumbai the spot-kick.
East Bengal’s fans and others passionate about soccer were denied a chance to watch the match against Mumbai FC on the ground as police expressed their inability to manage a possible large crowd in view of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls held during the day.
No tickets were sold for the game and thus all the players had for company in the field was the deafening silence of rows of empty seats, a few private security personnel, some policemen and media persons.
The giant stadium, which has in the past attracted a 1.31 lakh crowd for a soccer match, sported a deserted look, a rare spectacle in this soccer mad city of cricket crazy India.
It is quite normal for the stadium, which has hosted the likes of Lionel Messi as also other football greats in the past, to draw around 70,000 spectators.
When all seemed lost for the home side playing without their vocal supporters, Dudu became the saviour in the 56th minute of the game as he headed home from a free kick.
There were no-more goals in the game. East Bengal are fourth on the table with 20 points, whereas Mumbai are 7th with 14.
(IANS)