Top five attacking duos in I-League history

Depending on signings at other clubs, East Bengal could boast the deadliest strike-force in the I-League next season as newly-signed South Sudan international striker James Moga will be paired alongside Edeh Chidi, who finished as the club’s highest scorer last season.

The two African strikers scored a combined total of 34 I-League goals last campaign but they have to be consistent as a pair next season in order to be compared with previous great attacking partnerships.

Sportskeeda lists the top five attacking duos in I-League history.

Note: Timeline only covering I-League era since 2007

5. Tolgay Ozbey & Penn Orji (East Bengal: 2010-2012)

Penn Orji (left) and Tolgay Ozbey

Defensive organisation was the hallmark of the East Bengal side under Trevor James Morgan, but there was plenty of creative spark also. And it was provided by the combination of Tolgay Ozbey and Penn Orji in the Englishman’s first two seasons. Penn would operate just behind the two strikers with Tolgay in the withdrawn role and the two were responsible for the majority of East Bengal’s goals in the first two years of Morgan’s reign. Tolgay was the club’s top scorer in all competitions in both seasons and much of it was down to the work of Penn, who would keep finding the Australian in the right areas and thus allow Tolgay to run at defenders before scoring or creating chances for others.

The Australian would often return the favour and set up Penn also. In fact, the majority of the very few goals that Penn scored in those two years were created by Tolgay. Right from their very first tournament together, the 2010 Federation Cup, the duo was instrumental in the Kolkata’s club revival under Morgan. Tolgay’s time at Mohun Bagan turned out to be disastrous and Penn too had an ordinary third season at East Bengal, but the two players will be reunited at Mohammedan Sporting. So will they be able to recreate the same magic? Only time will answer that.