East Bengal scored once in each half to get the better of Mohammedan Sporting 2-1 in their third round match of the National Football League in Kolkata on Thursday.

• 11th National Football League 2007

Ashim Biswas put the winners ahead in the 32nd minute before Habibul Rahman got Mohammedan Sporting on level terms with a goal seven minutes after the break.

Bonafice Ambani clinched the issue for East Bengal, scoring in the 59th minute.

This was East Bengal's second victory from two matches. It swelled their points tally to six.

Mohammedan Sporting have three points after suffering their second defeat in three matches.

Down by a goal in the first half, Mohammedan Sporting, yet to recover from the five-goal drubbing by Dempo in Goa, showed enough grit to get the equaliser.

But their joy was short-lived as East Bengal regained the lead within six minutes.

Apart from some flashes of brilliance by the Mohammedan players, the East Bengal midfielders had the game under control.

Asim Biswas headed home a floating cross from teammate Debabrata Roy in the 33rd minute to begin East Bengal's quest for a second straight win, after beating HAL 3-1 at Bangalore.

The Mohammedan Sporting players, charged up after the lemon break, pressed for the equaliser and were rewarded in the 52nd minute when Habibul Rahman headed home a cross by Bijen Singh.

But after getting the equaliser, they seemed to lose their way as East Bengal mounted pressure. The winning strike came in the 59th minute when Bonafice Ambani volled home after receiving a low cross from Malsawma just outside the Mohammedan box.