East Bengal FC endured a frustrating evening at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, suffering a 3-5 defeat against Chennaiyin FC in a high-scoring Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27 encounter.
Despite finding the net three times, the Red and Gold Brigade could not prevent the hosts from registering an impressive victory, exposing defensive vulnerabilities that proved costly over the course of the match.
Ake Loba, Dani Ramírez and David Lalhlansanga Hmar were on target for East Bengal. However, Chennaiyin’s attacking duo of Brison Fernandes and Irfan Yadwad proved particularly influential, with both players scoring twice. Ramon Tanque also contributed to the home side’s victory by converting a first-half penalty.
The defeat marks East Bengal’s first setback in the ongoing ISL campaign. The Kolkata giants had made an encouraging start to the competition, recording convincing victories over Churchill Brothers (4-0) and Inter Kashi (5-1).
East Bengal’s latest disappointment comes at a time when the club is already navigating a difficult phase. The defeat against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the IFA Shield final was followed by a disappointing campaign in the AFC Champions League Two, where their hopes of progressing further were virtually extinguished.
Competing simultaneously in domestic and continental competitions appears to have added to the demands on the squad. The congested schedule, physical workload and need to maintain consistency across competitions could be testing the team’s resources.
While East Bengal have demonstrated their attacking potential in the opening matches of the ISL, the latest result highlights the importance of improving their defensive organisation and maintaining concentration throughout the game.
East Bengal will welcome SC Delhi on November 20, hoping to return to winning ways in front of their passionate supporters.
East Bengal FC Starting XI:
Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Lalchungnunga, Diego Zivulic, Sandip Mandi, Jay Gupta, Jeakson Singh, Mohammad Rashid, Bipin Singh, Dani Ramirez, PV Vishnu, Aké Loba
Picture Courtesy: East Bengal Media
