East Bengal FC pulled off a stunning away win against Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena in an ISL 2025-26 clash that had fans on the edge of their seats throughout.
The Kolkata giants came from behind to seal a thrilling 2-1 victory, silencing the home crowd and delivering a massive boost to their ISL campaign in style.
Brandon Fernandes had given Mumbai the lead early on, but Youssef Ezzejjari and Nandhakumar Sekar turned the game around completely in the second half with clinical finishing.
Starting Line-ups
The starting 11 of both teams are as follows.
Mumbai City FC (4-2-3-1)
GK: Phurba Lachenpa | DEF: H. Ralte, B. Chhetri, N. Reis, A. Mishra | MID: J. Kauko, Z. Zothanpuia | ATT MID: V. Singh, B. Fernandes, Noufal P.N | FWD: L. Chhangte
East Bengal FC (3-4-3)
GK: P.S. Gill | DEF: J. Thaunaojam, K. Sibille, A. Ali | MID: V.P.V, M. Rashid, S. Crespo, B. Singh | FWD: E. Lalrindika, A. Søjberg, J. Mawihmingthanga
Substitutes
The substitutions made by both teams are as follows.
Mumbai City FC:
Jorge Ortiz Mendoza, Ayush Chhikara, Gyamar Nikum, Sanjeev Stalin, Amandeep, Dhruv Alva, Rehenesh T.P., Nathan Rodrigues, Sahil Panwar
East Bengal FC:
Lalchungnunga, Miguel Figueira, Youssef Ezzejjari, Nandhakumar Sekar, Souvik Chakraborty, Debjit Majumder, Jay Gupta, Vanlalpeka Guite, Sayan Banerjee
Team Stats: East Bengal Dominant in Key Areas
The full match statistics are as follows.
| Stat | Mumbai City FC | East Bengal FC |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 12 | 16 |
| Shots on Target | 6 | 12 |
| Possession | 52% | 48% |
| Fouls | 10 | 12 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 2 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 2 | 1 |
| Corners | 5 | 8 |
First Half: Fernandes Fires Mumbai City Ahead
The game kicked off at 7:31 PM at the Mumbai Football Arena, and the home side set the tone with aggressive pressing from the very first whistle.
Just eight minutes in, Brandon Fernandes broke the deadlock with a well-taken goal, assisted brilliantly by fullback Bijay Chhetri, sending the Mumbai fans into absolute raptures.
East Bengal struggled to find its rhythm in the opening exchanges, playing in a 3-4-3 shape. Anton Sejberg and Edmund Lalrindika battled hard up front but could not break through.
Half-time arrived with Mumbai City leading 1-0. East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon made two bold substitutions, Ezzejjari and Souvik Chakraborty, who entered to change the game’s dynamics.
Second Half: East Bengal Storm Back in Stunning Fashion
East Bengal came out of the tunnel with renewed purpose in the second half. Coach Bruzon replaced Mohammed Rashid with Miguel Figueira at the start of the second period immediately.
Joni Kauko was booked for Mumbai City in the 57th minute as the home side began conceding fouls in dangerous areas under East Bengal’s sustained and disciplined attacking pressure.
The moment arrived in the 58th minute when Youssef Ezzejjari stepped up to convert a penalty with ice-cold composure, levelling the score at 1-1 and silencing Mumbai’s home crowd.
Then came goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa’s yellow card in the 59th minute, adding even more drama to what was now a pulsating, highly competitive second-half contest in Mumbai.
Key Events Timeline
Every turning point, booking, substitution, and goal from this thrilling ISL 2025-26 encounter is laid out in the comprehensive match timeline table below.
| Min | Event | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8′ | GOAL | Fernandes (Asst: B. Chhetri) | Mumbai City FC |
| 22′ | Yellow Card | Zothanpuia Zothanpuia | Mumbai City FC |
| 45+1′ | Substitution | Chakraborty IN / M. OUT | East Bengal FC |
| 45+2′ | Substitution | Ezzejjari IN / Søjberg OUT | East Bengal FC |
| HT | Half Time | Mumbai City 1-0 East Bengal | — |
| 46′ | Substitution | Figueira IN / M. Rashid OUT | East Bengal FC |
| 51′ | Yellow Card | Souvik Chakraborty | East Bengal FC |
| 56′ | Substitution | N. S. IN / E. Lalrindika OUT | East Bengal FC |
| 57′ | Yellow Card | Joni Kauko | Mumbai City FC |
| 58′ | GOAL (Penalty) | Youssef Ezzejjari | East Bengal FC |
| 59′ | Yellow Card | Phurba Lachenpa | Mumbai City FC |
| 64′ | Substitution | Chhikara IN / V.P. Singh OUT | Mumbai City FC |
| 71′ | GOAL | N. Sekar (Asst: M. Figueira) | East Bengal FC |
| 73′ | Substitution | L. IN / S. Crespo OUT | East Bengal FC |
| 80′ | Substitution | Ortiz IN / B. Fernandes OUT | Mumbai City FC |
| 84′ | Yellow Card | Vishnu P.V. | East Bengal FC |
| 89′ | Substitution | G. Nikum IN / Noufal P.N OUT | Mumbai City FC |
| 90+13′ | Full Time | Mumbai City 1-2 East Bengal | — |
Match Analysis: What Went Right and Wrong
Mumbai City’s early goal from Fernandes gave them a platform, but their inability to build on that lead left the door wide open for a well-drilled and determined East Bengal side.
East Bengal’s tactical halftime reshuffle was the turning point of the match. Oscar Bruzon’s decision to bring on Ezzejjari and Figueira immediately shifted the momentum toward the visitors.
Figueira’s role was phenomenal. Not only did he assist the winning goal from Sekar, but his movement and link-up play completely unlocked a previously solid Mumbai City backline.
For Mumbai City, the yellow card to goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa in the 59th minute added unnecessary pressure during an already tense and difficult period in the second half.
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Conclusion: East Bengal Writes Another Dramatic Chapter
East Bengal FC’s 2-1 victory at the Mumbai Football Arena is the kind of result that gives any football fan goosebumps: a gutsy, determined, brilliantly executed comeback win on the road.
Youssef Ezzejjari’s penalty and Nandhakumar Sekar’s winner from the bench showed East Bengal’s depth, resilience, and belief in what turned out to be an electric ISL night in Mumbai.
Mumbai City FC will be deeply disappointed, having dominated possession and taken an early lead, only to be undone by clinical East Bengal finishing in a breathtaking second-half turnaround.
This result will give East Bengal enormous confidence heading forward in the ISL 2025-26 season. Keep watching this incredible league, it just keeps delivering drama of the highest order!
