What a night at Salt Lake Stadium! East Bengal FC and Bengaluru FC served up a thrilling six-goal spectacle. The final score ended 3-3 in an unforgettable ISL clash.
Fans witnessed one of the ISL season’s most dramatic encounters. Bengaluru FC led twice, East Bengal fought back twice, before a 90+7 equalizer stunned everyone.
The match had everything: early goals, a red card, stunning saves, and a last-gasp header. It was the kind of football that reminds you exactly why the ISL matters so much.
Starting Lineups
East Bengal FC lined up in a 5-4-1 formation. P.S. Gill started in goal, with Kevin Sibille, Anwar Ali, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, and Souvik Chakraborty forming the defensive unit.
Bengaluru FC deployed a 4-3-3 with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu between the sticks. The experienced Rahul Bheke anchored the defense alongside Chinglensana and Naocha Poojari. Sunil Chhetri led the attack.
Team Stats: Bengaluru Dominated Possession, East Bengal Showed Heart
Full match statistics are as follows.
| Detail | East Bengal FC | Bengaluru FC |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 3 | 3 |
| HT Score | 1 | 2 |
| Shots | 12 | 13 |
| Shots on Target | 7 | 9 |
| Possession | 33% | 67% |
| Fouls | 8 | 12 |
| Yellow Cards | 4 | 4 |
| Red Cards | 1 | 0 |
| Offsides | 1 | 2 |
| Corners | 4 | 9 |
First Half: Bengaluru FC and East Bengal Exchange Early Goals in Exciting Start
Bengaluru FC drew first blood through the electric Ashique Kuruniyan at the 12th minute. Assisted by Sandjar Kuziev, Kuruniyan slotted past the East Bengal goalkeeper to silence the home crowd.
It was a clinical finish that showed Bengaluru FC’s attacking intent from the very first whistle. The Blues dominated possession and looked sharp going forward throughout the opening exchanges.
East Bengal hit back quickly. Defender Anwar Ali rose brilliantly to level the score at 1-1 in the 21st minute. Salt Lake Stadium erupted as the Red and Gold Army found their equalizer.
Anwar Ali’s goal was a statement of intent. East Bengal showed they were not willing to sit back and accept defeat on home soil against the Blues from Bengaluru.
Red Card Chaos: Miguel Figueira Dismissed (25′)
East Bengal’s momentum took a massive hit when Miguel Figueira Damasceno was sent off in the 25th minute. The red card left the home side with ten men for the rest of the game.
Playing with ten players for over 65 minutes is an enormous challenge in ISL football. Yet, East Bengal’s fighting spirit kept them competitive throughout this fiercely contested match.
Goal-for-Goal Battle Continues
Suresh Singh Wangjam restored Bengaluru’s lead in the 39th minute, making it 2-1 at the break. Suresh capitalized on a defensive lapse to fire past the East Bengal keeper.
At half-time, Bengaluru FC led 2-1 and had the numerical advantage. Ryan Williams also picked up a yellow card deep into the first-half added time, adding to the tension.
Saul Crespo produced a moment of pure brilliance in the 55th minute to make it 2-2. Playing a man short, East Bengal showed incredible character to pull level through the Spanish midfielder.
The Salt Lake crowd was on its feet! Crespo’s equalizer proved that East Bengal had no intention of giving up. This was ten-man football at its most inspiring and heartwarming.
Late Goals Spark Dramatic Finish
Ryan Williams, fresh from Bengaluru’s double substitution at 62 minutes, gave the Blues the lead again at 71 minutes. He was assisted by Soham Varshneya to make it 2-3.
Bengaluru now looked set to hold on and claim all three points. With East Bengal down to ten men and trailing, a Bengaluru win seemed like the only logical outcome.
Just when all hope seemed lost, substitute Anton Sojberg delivered one of the most dramatic moments of ISL 2025-26. He leveled the score at 90+7 to make it 3-3.
Sojberg, who had come on as a substitute in the 68th minute, picked the most crucial moment to deliver. His goal sent Salt Lake Stadium into absolute delirium and denied Bengaluru two points.
To score a 90+7 equalizer with ten men against a quality side like Bengaluru FC is nothing short of heroic. Anton Sojberg will be remembered as the man who saved East Bengal’s night.
Goal Scorers at a Glance
The goal scorers of the match are as follows.
| Minute | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 12′ | Ashique Kuruniyan (Asst: S. Kuziev) | Bengaluru FC |
| 21′ | Anwar Ali | East Bengal FC |
| 39′ | Suresh Singh Wangjam | Bengaluru FC |
| 55′ | Saul Crespo | East Bengal FC |
| 71′ | Ryan Williams (Asst: S. Varshneya) | Bengaluru FC |
| 90+7′ | Anton Sojberg | East Bengal FC |
Key Substitutions That Shaped the Match
Bengaluru made a double change at 62 minutes. Lalremtluanga Fanai replaced Suresh Wangjam, and Soham Varshneya came on for the legendary Sunil Chhetri. Both made an immediate impact.
Ryan Williams, who scored the third Bengaluru goal, was then replaced by Vinith Venkatesh at 86 minutes. Ricky Meetei Haobam also came on for Naorem Roshan Singh at 72 minutes.
East Bengal made crucial changes too. Anton Sojberg replaced Youssef Ezzejjari at 68 minutes, a substitution that proved match-defining when Sojberg scored the 90+7 equalizer. Brilliant decision.
Nandhakumar Sekar replaced Edmund Lalrindika, Mohammad Rakip came on for Anwar Ali at 69 minutes, and Jay Gupta replaced Jeakson Singh Thounaojam in the closing stages of the game.
Cards and Discipline: A Fiery Affair
The table below highlights all the key bookings and the red card in this intense clash between Bengaluru FC and East Bengal FC.
| Min | Player | Club | Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5′ | Rahul Bheke | Bengaluru FC | Yellow |
| 17′ | Kevin Sibille | East Bengal | Yellow |
| 19′ | Souvik Chakraborty | East Bengal | Yellow |
| 24′ | Edmund Lalrindika | East Bengal | Yellow |
| 25′ | Miguel Figueira | East Bengal | Red |
| 37′ | Roshan Singh Naorem | Bengaluru FC | Yellow |
| 45+2′ | Ryan Williams | Bengaluru FC | Yellow |
| 87′ | Soham Varshneya | Bengaluru FC | Yellow |
| 90+8′ | Anton Sojberg | East Bengal | Yellow |
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Conclusion: Six Goals, One Red Card, and Endless Drama
Playing with ten men for more than 65 minutes and still earning a 3-3 draw against Bengaluru FC is extraordinary. East Bengal’s never-say-die attitude was the story of the night in ISL.
Bengaluru FC will feel frustrated. They had the lead three times and failed to hold it on each occasion. Ryan Williams and Ashique Kuruniyan were brilliant, but the result was not enough.
In terms of drama, entertainment, and sheer football emotion, this East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC match will go down as one of the most memorable ISL fixtures of the 2025-26 season.
