I-League 2019-20: World Cupper Johnny Acosta returns for second stint with East Bengal

Costa Rican defender Johnny Acosta, landed in Kolkata on Monday morning ahead of his second stint in the I-League with Kolkata football giants East Bengal. He was welcomed at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport by a group of East Bengal supporters.

The World Cupper had turned out for the Red and Gold last season, and played a key role in East Bengal’s success. However, he had been released ahead of the ongoing season by Allesandro Menendez Garcia.

The move to sign Acosta back was made after the club released their forward Jaime Santos Colado. The Spanish footballer failed to impress in his outing for East Bengal in the last couple of months, which forced the management to free him off his services.

Colado had joined East Bengal last year and impressed scoring 5 goals in 14 matches as the club ended with the runners up title. This season, the Sporting de Gijon graduate continued his fine form in the Durand Cup and the CFL, netting 10 goals in 13 appearances, but his form dried up as the I-League progressed.

Acosta at the Kolkata airport

His poor showing meant that East Bengal have stuttered in the ongoing I-League, and they will hope that Acosta can bring in some fresh energy into the defence of the side. Acosta will, however, miss their next game against Gokulam Kerala. His debut this season will probably take place on March 5 against Real Kashmir in what will be an away fixture.

Acosta has played for his national team in the 2014 and the 2018 FIFA World Cups. He was in the starting line-up for the quarters against The Netherlands in 2014, and played the whole of his team’s group stage matches against Serbia, Brazil and Switzerland in the last edition of the World Cup.