East Bengal Suffers Third Consecutive Defeat with 2-1 Loss to Kerala Blasters

Sayak Banerjee | 4 Oct 2023

East Bengal’s struggles in the ISL continued as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Kerala Blasters at home on Thursday. The loss marks the team’s third consecutive defeat, pushing them to 10th place in the standings with just five points from five matches.

The Red and Gold brigade created chances but failed to capitalize on crucial moments. The game’s turning point came in the 85th minute when Clayton Silva missed back-to-back penalties, an extraordinary and unfortunate occurrence that left fans stunned.

Kerala Blasters took control early on, with a well-timed strike in the 28th minute giving them the lead. East Bengal equalized in the second half through a goal from Cleiton Silva, but their hopes were dashed when Kerala regained the lead in the 78th minute with a counterattack that exposed the Red and Gold defense.

Coach Carles Cuadrat expressed disappointment, particularly with the missed penalties, stating,

“We had the opportunities to turn the game around, but lapses in focus cost us dearly. The players need to step up and show more composure under pressure.”

East Bengal’s campaign is now at a critical juncture, and the team must regroup quickly to get their season back on track.