“Seventh heaven for the Bangal Brigade! ”: East Bengal humiliate Mohammedan Sporting in a record-equalling thrashing in the derby
- anweshanghosh10
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
East Bengal thrashed Kolkata rivals Mohammedan Sporting 7-0 in the derby, which was the joint biggest win in Indian Super League history, equalling the same margin in which FC Goa had beaten Mumbai City back in 2015. Anwar Ali gave the Red and Gold brigade the lead from a long-range stunner, though the keeper should've done better.
The home side got two quick penalties on the trot which were calmly finished by EB no. 9, Yousseff Ezzejjari, and skipper Saul Crespo, who scored his first goal of the season.
East Bengal were completely dominant on the ball from minute one, and it was all about their attack against Mohammedan’s defence. More goals could've rained at the Salt Lake stadium had Oscar Bruzon’s side taken all of their chances. Ezzejjari bagged a brace, scoring again from the spot and equalling Jamie Maclaren in the golden boot race.
PV Vishnu scored the fifth from a corner, tapping it past Chettri, while Anwar Ali bagged his brace after scoring from another corner a few minutes later. Nadhakumar put East Bengal in the ‘seventh heavens' after scoring a superb goal, curling his effort past Chettri in the MDSC goal.
Things are looking bleak for Mohammedan Sporting as they remain rooted at the bottom of the table with five losses out of five games. They also have the worst goal difference, having scored just two goals while conceding seventeen. East Bengal climbed up to the fourth spot following the massive derby victory, which reignited their ISL hopes, as the gap with Mumbai City on top is just three points.
There are still seven games to be played this season, and Oscar Bruzon's side are still the favourites to lift their maiden Indian Super League title.
What does this massive derby win mean for East Bengal?
East Bengal defeating city rivals Mohammedan Sporting in the derby in such fashion wasn't just a win but a defining moment in a short Indian Super League season. This victory will give Oscar Bruzon's side a massive psychological boost after some recent controversial and heated exchange between the fans and the boss.
East Bengal have lacked consistency throughout their ISL history, but such a record-breaking performance adds a huge boost to the player's psychology. The Red and Gold brigade have finally found their scoring rhythm, which seemed to have vanished against Jamshedpur FC and Kerala Blasters in their last two games.
Therefore, dominating a team by scoring so many goals and also choking them in possession always helps the team grow in confidence with each passing matchday. With the hunger they showed on the last day, East Bengal finally seemed like a title contender.
The Indian Super League is taking place in a shorter format this season; hence, there are fewer fixtures for each team this year. Therefore, goal difference matters a lot for every team if points stay level after the final matchday.
With such a dominating scoreline, East Bengal not only picked up a massive three points but also boosted their goal difference significantly. The Kolkata giants are the top-scoring team in the ISL so far, above their arch rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giants.
Also, winning a derby is always phenomenal. Both the clubs are rooted in the deep history and culture of Bengali football. This win will remain etched in the history of the club and also helps repair the bond between the club and the fans, asserting East Bengal’s rich pride and dominance in the city's rich football heritage.
However, they cannot let themselves get carried away with this win, as Mohammedan are still the club who have no foreign players and are also at the bottom of the table.
They have to follow up this big win with consistency, and their real test will be against top teams like Bengaluru FC, Mumbai City and arch-rivals Mohun Bagan SG. However, if they can build on this win, this game will be remembered as the game which skyrocketed their success at the end of the season.
Comments