Harmanjyot Singh Khabra, the experienced midfielder of East Bengal has been one of the key members in his team’s six consecutive Kolkata League triumph from 2010 to 2015. And while jubilating for the sixth victory on Sunday at the Salt lake Stadium, Khabra revealed that the team’s first victory out of the six consecutive triumphs was most memorable to him.
The reason, he stated, “I was a newcomer in East Bengal in 2010. Trevor James Morgan was the coach. And during the training session, he asked me saying I could only get into the first eleven in the I-League that year with a formidable performance in the Kolkata Premier league. I was played several matches in the league that season, but in most of the matches I played in the second half. Naturally, it was an ordeal for me which I passed and impressed Morgan.” Khabra who was the captain of the team last season dedicated the whipping 4-0 victory over Mohun Bagan on Sunday, to his family and to East Bengal supporters.”
Khabra said, “I am thankful to the club’s fans. We would not have performed if the fans were not there. Even, I had become speechless when these supporters came to watch our league match against Kalighat MS at the Barasat Stadium in spite of the fact that there was no transport on the day due to strike.”
Commenting on East Bengal’s win over arch rivals Mohun Bagan with the biggest margin in a Kolkata derby match after 79 years, Khabra informed he had no regret for not being in the scorer’s list in Su’day’s derby. Rather he smiled and said, “In 2010 East Bengal won the first match against Tollygunge Agragami and won the League. I scored the winning goal against Tollygunge Agragami.
And it was another interesting co-incidence that this time also, East Bengal started its winning streak with a victory over Tollygunge in our first match and I scored the winning goal!