On a day that will see the competition touch the landmark feat of four-figure matches when Chennaiyin FC meet Mumbai City FC in the 5:00 PM kick-off, it is only fitting and an age-old rivalry of Indian football embraces a new shape to feature in the ISL for the maiden time. Both these teams have endured difficult starts to the season, with Mohammedan SC winning and drawing once in six games, and East Bengal FC losing all of their as many encounters.
They are placed 12th and 13th in the points table respectively, but with with two-thirds of the season still pending, the teams have ample time to get their campaign and form back on track. Will they be able to lay the bricks for the same from their iconic face-off in the City of Joy tomorrow? Let’s find out.
East Bengal FC’s home and attacking form
· Losses at Home: The Red & Gold Brigade have lost their last two home matches. The only time they were defeated more times on a trot was a sequence of four encounters between October-December 2022. They will want to put an end to this run against Mohammedan SC, thus bagging their first points of the season and set some sort of momentum to fuel their charge this term.
· Final Third Play: One of East Bengal FC’s biggest concerns this year has been their inability to find the back of the net regularly upfront. They have scored four goals, but that is not reflective of their passing accuracy in the final third, i.e. 68.2%, which is the highest of any team. They have played an average of 115.7 passes per game ending in this region in 2024-25, the second highest of any team (FC Goa – 125.8). The team will have to start converting that into tangible strikes going forward.
Mohammedan SC’s season assessment thus far
· Away Form: Mohammedan SC have been fairly impressive on the road given that it is their first experience in the competition. They have won and lost once each in their two away fixtures so far. If they win against East Bengal FC, they will become just the third side to win two of their first three away games in competition history after Bengaluru FC and ATK. Will Mohammedan SC get their act together to present a collective fight against their city rivals?
· Aerial Lacuna: Mohammedan SC have been at the receiving end of aerial dominance of other teams in ISL 2024-25, conceding five headed goals this season. It shows that they have been at the prey of lateral deliveries or set-piece deliveries from other teams, and the Mohammedan SC unit will have to fix their backline accordingly to strengthen themselves in this aspect.
Head-to-Head
This will be the first time in ISL that these two teams will reignite their age-old rivalry.
Coach’s Corner
“We have massive confidence”
East Bengal FC head coach Oscar Bruzon highlighted that his team needs to be cautious when they don’t have possession and be at the top of their game during defensive transitions.
“The game has got national importance. We have massive confidence. Our approach towards the game in difficult moments, when we lose the ball, especially during defensive transitions is very important,” Bruzon said.
“We need to defend collectively”
Similarly, Mohammedan SC head coach Andrey Chernyshov stressed on defending collectively and not putting the entire onus on the backline for the same.
“This is not only about defence. It starts from our attacking players. It’s about being together – the whole 11 players pressing high. We have conceded many goals in the last few games but it’s not always about defence, it’s also because of individual mistakes sometimes,” he said.
Key Players & Milestones
· East Bengal FC’s Saul Crespo has averaged 66.4 touches per game in ISL 2024-25, only behind Ahmed Jahouh (81.3) and Akash Sangwan (70.9). Saul has been the engine behind the team’s gameplay, being the foundation at the centre of the park upon whom the Red & Gold Brigade has been established and operated on off late.
· Mohammedan SC’s Mirjalol Kasimov has made an average of 6.8 recoveries per match in ISL 2024-25, the highest such aggregate by any outfielder in the competition this term. Kasimov has made 41 recoveries in six games so far. His ability to recover possession and do it consistently, over and again, has been a central part of the team’s gameplay.
· East Bengal FC’s Madih Talal has earned 2.7 fouls per game, providing the Red & Gold Brigade several opportunities to find goals from set-pieces. Only the Bengaluru FC duo Alberto Noguera (3.6) and Edgar Mendez (3) have averaged more, and his fleet-footedness ensures that the team is never at the paucity of opportunities to net strikes.
ISL Fantasy
East Bengal FC’s Madih Talal (11.4cr) has earned 25 ISL fantasy points this season
Mohammedan SC’s Mirjalol Kasimov (5.4cr) has bagged 30 ISL fantasy points in 2024-25
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