East Bengal Suffers Late Defeat in Steel City After Winning in Hyderabad

Sayak Banerjee / 23-02-2024

East Bengal’s inconsistent run in the Indian Super League (ISL) continued as they faced a last-minute defeat to Jamshedpur FC after a win against Hyderabad. Despite hopes of breaking their record of never winning two consecutive ISL matches, East Bengal fell short once again.

Coach Carles Cuadrat debuted newcomer Aleksandar Pantić, the first Serbian player for East Bengal. Khalid Jamil’s Jamshedpur started aggressively, putting pressure on East Bengal’s defense. The Red and Gold brigade’s defense showed significant gaps, which Jamshedpur exploited.

East Bengal had their first clear chance in the 16th minute, but Nandhakumar Sekar missed from close range. However, they took the lead at halftime, with Nandhakumar scoring through the goalkeeper’s legs from a deflected Clayton Silva shot.

The second half proved challenging. Vishnu’s header hit the post in the 75th minute, missing a chance to double the lead. Jamshedpur equalized in the 81st minute with Rei Tachikawa’s goal. In added time, Rakip’s foul led to a dangerous free-kick, which Manzorro converted, sealing the defeat for East Bengal.

Cuadrat acknowledged the missed opportunities and the opposition’s desperation after the match, noting, “When a team is ahead, the opposition will undoubtedly become more desperate. We missed the second goal, and as a result, the match could have gone either way.”