East Bengal FC produced a stunning performance at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, to thrash Odisha FC 3-0. The Red and Gold Brigade were in complete control throughout the match.
Bipin Singh Thounaojam opened the scoring early in the 11th minute, before Youssef Ezzejjari sealed the victory with a quickfire brace in the second half. This was a night to remember.
Starting Lineup
East Bengal FC (3-4-3): P. S. Gill (GK), K. Sibille, M. Rakip, J. Thaunaojam, B. Singh, S. Crfespo, S. Chakraborty, V.P.V., N.Sekar, A.Sojberg, E. Lalrindika
Odisha FC (3-5-2): A.Kumar, C.Delgado, T.Moirangthem, V.Chhakchhuak, VP Suhair, H.Sharma, K.Lalrinfela, L.Khawlhring, S.Bhattacharya, A.A. Singh, R.Ali
Full-Time Team Statistics
The full match stats are as follows.
| Stat | East Bengal FC | Odisha FC |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 18 | 13 |
| Shots on Target | 10 | 5 |
| Possession | 61% | 39% |
| Fouls | 13 | 18 |
| Yellow Cards | 4 | 2 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 2 | 4 |
| Corners | 7 | 4 |
First Half: Bipin Singh Sets the Tone Early
East Bengal started with incredible intensity right from the first whistle. Their 3-4-3 formation gave them width and attacking depth, which troubled Odisha consistently.
In just the 11th minute, Bipin Singh Thounaojam broke the deadlock with a composed finish. The assist came from Vishnu P.V., who found Bipin in space inside the box.
East Bengal kept pressing with authority, winning 61% possession in the first half. P.S. Gill was rarely tested in goal, as Odisha struggled to create clear-cut chances.
Hitesh Sharma had also picked up an early booking at the 29th minute, which restricted Odisha’s physicality in midfield. East Bengal went into the break leading 1-0 comfortably.
Second Half: Ezzejjari Takes Over With a Clinical Brace
Odisha made a change early in the second half, bringing on Edwin Sydney Vanspaul in place of Subham Bhattacharya at the 47th minute to shore up their backline.
East Bengal continued to dominate and made bold substitutions around the 57th minute. Jay Gupta replaced Nandhakumar Sekar, while Mohammed Rashid came on for Souvik Chakraborty.
Anton Sojberg picked up a yellow card at the 58th minute and was immediately replaced by Youssef Ezzejjari at the 67th minute. Jerry Mawihmingthanga also came on for Edmund Lalrindika at the same time.
Ezzejjari wasted no time making an impact. The striker scored his first goal of the night in the 70th minute, doubling East Bengal’s lead to make it 2-0 against a tired Odisha defence.
Odisha introduced Heikrujam Sanathoi Singh in the 73rd minute in search of a lifeline. But East Bengal refused to let up and continued pushing for more goals with great confidence.
Just three minutes later, David Lalhlansanga came on for Vishnu P.V. in the 83rd minute for East Bengal. Seconds after, Ezzejjari struck again to complete his brilliant brace with East Bengal 3-0 up.
Match Timeline: Key Events
The complete match timeline is as follows.
| Minute | Event | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | Event | Team |
| 11′ | GOAL – Bipin Singh (Asst: V.P.V) | East Bengal FC |
| 29′ | Yellow Card – Hitesh Sharma | Odisha FC |
| 45′ | Yellow Card – Saul Crespo | East Bengal FC |
| 45+1′ | Yellow Card – Thoiba Singh | Odisha FC |
| 53′ | Yellow Card – Souvik Chakraborty | East Bengal FC |
| 58′ | Yellow Card – Anton Sojberg | East Bengal FC |
| 70′ | GOAL – Youssef Ezzejjari | East Bengal FC |
| 83′ | GOAL – Youssef Ezzejjari | East Bengal FC |
| 90+5′ | Yellow Card – Jay Gupta | East Bengal FC |
Tactical Breakdown: East Bengal’s Dominance
East Bengal’s 3-4-3 formation was perfectly executed under their coach’s tactical plan. The three-man defence provided stability, while the wide midfielders consistently overlapped to create numerical advantages.
Odisha’s 3-5-2 setup lacked the creativity to break East Bengal down. Their midfield five failed to connect well, and the hosts easily won the battle in the centre of the park.
East Bengal attempted 18 shots compared to Odisha’s 13, with 10 of those on target. This shot dominance reflected their territorial control and attacking intent throughout the 90-plus minutes.
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Conclusion: East Bengal FC Makes a Statement
This 3-0 victory is a massive statement from East Bengal FC. Playing at their fortress in Kolkata, they showed immense quality and tactical discipline to dismantle Odisha FC completely.
The Red and Gold Brigade will be brimming with confidence heading into their next fixture. Odisha, on the other hand, will need to regroup quickly and fix its defensive vulnerabilities.
With Ezzejjari firing on all cylinders and Bipin Singh leading the charge, East Bengal FC looks like a serious contender in the ISL this season. The Kolkata faithful will be dreaming big.
