East Bengal Slip Again as Kerala Blasters Snatch Late Draw; Mohun Bagan Held by Bengaluru FC

Calcutta: East Bengal FC suffered another frustrating result in the Indian Super League season 12 as they conceded a last-minute equaliser to Kerala Blasters FC, ending the match 1-1 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.

Later in the day, league leaders Mohun Bagan Super Giant were held to a goalless draw by Bengaluru FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, bringing their four-match winning run to an end. Despite the draw, Mohun Bagan remain at the top of the table with 13 points from five matches.

Late Blow for East Bengal

East Bengal looked set for victory after Youssef Ezzejjari converted a penalty in the 10th minute to give the home side a 1-0 lead. However, the match turned in the dying moments of stoppage time in the second half when a corner kick found Muhammad Ajsal unmarked inside the box. The Kerala Blasters defender headed home the equaliser, leaving the East Bengal defence stunned.

The draw means East Bengal remain without a win in their last three matches. In a shortened league campaign, the run of one defeat and two draws could prove costly for their playoff ambitions. After five matches, East Bengal have eight points.

Kerala Blasters, meanwhile, picked up their first point of the season.

Head coach Óscar Bruzón admitted that a lapse in concentration cost his team the win.

“Lack of concentration at the end of the match cost us two points,” he said during the post-match press conference.

Pressure Mounts on Bruzón

The result has added pressure on Bruzón, who had already stirred controversy with remarks aimed at club officials ahead of the match. With results not going their way, the Spaniard now faces a challenging period as East Bengal try to regain momentum.

Mohun Bagan’s Winning Run Ends

In Bengaluru, Mohun Bagan were unable to break down a disciplined Bengaluru FC defence. The 0-0 draw ended their four-game winning streak but still kept them at the summit of the table with 13 points from five games.

However, Jamshedpur FC could move to the top if they defeat NorthEast United FC in Sunday’s match.

Today’s Fixtures

• NorthEast United FC vs Jamshedpur FC – 5:00 PM
• Inter Kashi vs Mumbai City – 7:30 PM

Both matches will be broadcast live on FanCode and Sony Ten 2.