"Ezzejjari Double Keeps EBFC Alive"
Kolkata, Salt Lake Stadium – Tuesday, April 28, 2026 (as reported). Final Score: East Bengal FC 3 (Youssef Ezzejjari 34', 78', Bipin Singh 65') vs Odisha FC 0
In front of a sea of red and gold at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), East Bengal FC delivered a statement performance to keep their Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 title hopes mathematically alive. A clinical brace from Moroccan striker Youssef Ezzejjari, combined with a stunning strike from Bipin Singh, secured a comprehensive 3-0 victory over a disjointed Odisha FC.
The win moves East Bengal to within two points of the league leaders with two games remaining, ensuring that the race for the ISL Shield will go down to the final matchday.
In front of a sea of red and gold at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), East Bengal FC delivered a statement performance to keep their Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 title hopes mathematically alive. A clinical brace from Moroccan striker Youssef Ezzejjari, combined with a stunning strike from Bipin Singh, secured a comprehensive 3-0 victory over a disjointed Odisha FC.
The win moves East Bengal to within two points of the league leaders with two games remaining, ensuring that the race for the ISL Shield will go down to the final matchday.
First Half: Cautious Chess Until Ezzejjari's Breakthrough
0-15 Minutes: Feeling Each Other Out
The match kicked off under overcast Kolkata skies, with the pitch at Salt Lake looking pristine. Odisha FC, known for their possession-based football under head coach Sergio Lobera, started the brighter. Diego Mauricio and Jerry Mawihmingthanga combined well down the right flank, winning two early corners.
However, East Bengal's defense, marshaled by the veteran Hector Yuste, held firm.
East Bengal struggled to build any rhythm in the opening quarter. Cleiton Silva, playing just behind Ezzejjari, was dropping deep to collect the ball, but Odisha's midfield press—led by the energetic Puitea—cut off supply lines. The first shot of the game came in the 12th minute: a speculative 30-yard drive from Odisha's Ahmed Jahouh that sailed harmlessly over Prabhsukhan Gill's crossbar.
East Bengal struggled to build any rhythm in the opening quarter. Cleiton Silva, playing just behind Ezzejjari, was dropping deep to collect the ball, but Odisha's midfield press—led by the energetic Puitea—cut off supply lines. The first shot of the game came in the 12th minute: a speculative 30-yard drive from Odisha's Ahmed Jahouh that sailed harmlessly over Prabhsukhan Gill's crossbar.
16-33 Minutes: East Bengal Grows Into the Game
The turning point of the first half arrived quietly. In the 18th minute, Naorem Mahesh Singh, East Bengal's livewire on the left wing, began to isolate Odisha's right-back, Amey Ranawade. Twice in quick succession, Mahesh drove past him, winning a throw-in and then a corner.
From that corner in the 22nd minute, Odisha goalkeeper Amrinder Singh had to be alert to palm away a venomous header from Ezzejjari. It was a wake-up call. The stadium, which had been relatively subdued, found its voice.
East Bengal's midfield general, Saul Crespo, started dictating tempo. His interception in the 28th minute led to a rapid counter-attack. Cleiton Silva found Mahesh, who cut inside and curled a shot that Amrinder Singh tipped around the post. The red-and-gold wave was building.
34th Minute: GOAL! Ezzejjari Breaks the Deadlock
The pressure finally told. A moment of individual brilliance from Bipin Singh on the right wing. The winger, who had been relatively quiet until then, received the ball from Crespo, feinted to cross, then drove past left-back Narender Gahlot.
Bipin reached the byline and fired a low, venomous cross into the six-yard box. The ball fizzed past the outstretched leg of Odisha center-back Carlos Delgado. Standing unmarked at the far post was Youssef Ezzejjari. The Moroccan international, trailing in the Golden Boot race, made no mistake. He stooped low to head the ball into the ground, watching it bounce once before nestling into the roof of the net.
East Bengal 1-0 Odisha FC
The Salt Lake Stadium erupted. The "Joy East Bengal" chants echoed across the stands. Ezzejjari ran toward the corner flag, kissed the badge, and was mobbed by his teammates. It was his eighth goal of the season, pulling him level with the league's top scorers.
35-45+ Minutes: Odisha's Brief Response
Odisha FC looked shell-shocked. Sergio Lobera screamed instructions from the touchline. For the next ten minutes, the visitors threw bodies forward. Isak Vanlalruatfela, introduced as a tactical change after the goal due to an injury to Mawihmingthanga, forced a fine save from Gill in the 40th minute.
Diego Mauricio, starved of service all half, finally got a chance in first-half stoppage time. A long ball from Jahouh found him on the edge of the box. The Brazilian turned Yuste beautifully but dragged his left-footed shot just wide of the far post. The halftime whistle blew with East Bengal holding a slender but deserved 1-0 lead.
Half-Time Statistics:
Possession: EBFC 47% - 53% OFC
Shots on target: EBFC 3 - 1 OFC
Corners: EBFC 4 - 3 OFC
Second Half: Substitutes Seal the Masterclass
46-60 Minutes: A Slow Start, Defensive Scares
The second half began at a glacial pace. Odisha FC changed their formation, moving to a back-four and pushing Jahouh higher up the pitch. East Bengal, perhaps conserving energy, dropped deep.
This invited pressure. In the 52nd minute, a defensive lapse nearly cost East Bengal. Jay Gupta, the young left-back, received the ball under pressure from Isak. Gupta hesitated, trying to dribble out instead of clearing. Isak robbed him of possession 18 yards from goal. The stadium gasped. Isak squared for Mauricio, but the Brazilian's shot was brilliantly blocked by the sliding tackle of Lalchungnunga.
Head coach Carles Cuadrat had seen enough. On the hour mark, he made a triple substitution, sensing that the game was slipping out of control. In came defensive midfielder Souvik Chakrabarti and winger VP Suhair, with the instructions to press higher.
65th Minute: GOAL! Bipin Singh's Stunner
The substitutes took exactly five minutes to make an impact. A long clearance from Gill was flicked on by Suhair. The ball fell to Bipin Singh, 25 yards from goal. What happened next was pure magic.
Bipin took a single touch to control, looked up, and saw Amrinder Singh off his line. He unleashed a dipping, swerving rocket with his left foot. The ball arrowed toward the top right corner, kissed the underside of the crossbar, and bounced down—just over the line before spinning out.
The referee's watch buzzed immediately. Goal confirmed.
East Bengal 2-0 Odisha FC
It was a goal worthy of winning any match. Bipin, who had spent the first hour doing defensive work, suddenly became the hero. He sprinted to the corner flag, sliding on his knees in front of the East Bengal Ultras. The stadium was in delirium. The title hopes, which had seemed faint, were now flickering brightly.
66-77 Minutes: Odisha's Wreckage
Odisha FC mentally collapsed. Puitea picked up a yellow card for a cynical foul on Mahesh. Roy Krishna, introduced from the bench, argued with the referee and also went into the book.
Sergio Lobera threw on attacking midfielder Thoiba Singh for defender Gahlot, waving his arms forward. But Odisha's attacks were limp. Mauricio, isolated and frustrated, lashed a shot into the stands in the 72nd minute. The visitors had given up.
East Bengal, now playing with supreme confidence, began to toy with Odisha. Mahesh danced past three defenders but shot straight at Amrinder. Cleiton Silva curled a free-kick inches wide.
78th Minute: GOAL! Ezzejjari Doubles His Tally
It was the final nail in the coffin. A flowing move involving five East Bengal players. Souvik to Bipin to Suhair to Mahesh. Mahesh played a one-two with Cleiton Silva, who had dropped into the number ten space.
Mahesh drove to the byline, looked up, and picked out the towering figure of Youssef Ezzejjari at the center of the box. The Moroccan rose like a salmon between two Odisha defenders, powering a header past the helpless Amrinder Singh.
East Bengal 3-0 Odisha FC
Ezzejjari's second goal of the night. His ninth of the season. He was now the outright leader in the Golden Boot race. He ran to the bench, hugging every support staff member. The game was over as a contest.
79-90+ Minutes: Professional Closure
The final ten minutes were a formality. Odisha FC just wanted to avoid further embarrassment. East Bengal took their foot off the gas, content to keep possession and protect the clean sheet.
There was a nervous moment in the 85th minute when defender Lalchungnunga went down clutching his hamstring, forcing East Bengal to finish with ten men after using all their substitutes. But Odisha couldn't capitalize. Isak fired over from 12 yards in the 88th minute, summing up their night.
The fourth official indicated four minutes of added time. The crowd responded with a mocking "Ole" chant every time East Bengal completed a pass. When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read a decisive 3-0.
Full-Time Score: East Bengal FC 3 - 0 Odisha FC
Tactical Analysis: How East Bengal Won
1. The Substitute Impact (Cuadrat's Gamble Pays Off)
The most striking tactical feature of the night was the impact of East Bengal's bench. Bipin Singh (starting winger, not a substitute, but he played deeper before the goal) aside, the introduction of Souvik Chakrabarti and VP Suhair in the 60th minute completely flipped the momentum. Until then, Odisha had been pressing. After those changes, East Bengal's energy levels surged.
2. Youssef Ezzejjari: The Poacher's Poacher
Ezzejjari had just 24 touches of the ball in 90 minutes—the fewest of any player on the pitch. But two of those touches ended up in the back of the net. His movement off the ball was world-class. For the first goal, he hung back at the far post while the defense watched the ball. For the second, he lost his marker, Carlos Delgado, by starting his run from behind the defender's blind spot.
3. Odisha's Midfield Disconnect
Ahmed Jahouh (37 years old) struggled to keep up with the pace of East Bengal's transitions. Puitea worked hard but lacked creativity. Diego Mauricio received only 12 passes all match—a disgraceful number for a team's primary striker. Odisha played like a side already on vacation, while East Bengal played like a side fighting for survival.
4. The Jay Gupta Problem (A Lingering Concern)
While the scoreline was perfect, East Bengal's head coach Carles Cuadrat will have sleepless nights watching the first 15 minutes of the second half. Left-back Jay Gupta was caught in possession three times in dangerous areas. He was bailed out by Lalchungnunga's tackle and Gill's alertness. In the title-deciding matches ahead, better teams will punish those errors.
Player Ratings (East Bengal FC)
PlayerRatingNotesPrabhsukhan Gill (GK) 8/10 One excellent save; composed with feet. Clean sheet.
Lalchungnunga (RB) 7.5/10 Solid defensively; crucial block on Mauricio.
Hector Yuste (CB) 8/10 Captain's performance. Organized the line.
Jose Pardo (CB) 7/10 Quiet but effective. Won 4 aerial duels.
Jay Gupta (LB) 5.5/10 Defensive liability in second half. Lucky not to concede.
Saul Crespo (CM) 8/10 Dictated tempo. Interceptions key to transition.
Borja Herrera (CM) 6.5/10 Workmanlike; substituted at 60'.
Bipin Singh (RW) 9/10 Man of the Match. Goal of the season contender.
Cleiton Silva (AM) 7.5/10 Intelligent link-up; freed space for Ezzejjari.
Naorem Mahesh Singh (LW) 8.5/10 Terrorized the right-back. Two assists.
Youssef Ezzejjari (ST) 9.5/10 Two goals. Nine for the season. Leader in Golden Boot race.
Substitutes:
Souvik Chakrabarti: 7/10 – Added steel in midfield.
VP Suhair: 7/10 – Assist for Bipin's goal.
Nandhakumar Sekar: 6/10 – Late cameo.
Player Ratings (Odisha FC)
PlayerRatingNotesAmrinder Singh (GK) 6/10 No chance on any goal; made 3 saves.
Amey Ranawade (RB) 5/10 Torn apart by Mahesh Singh.
Carlos Delgado (CB) 5.5/10 Lost Ezzejjari for both goals.
Narender Gahlot (LB) 4.5/10 Poor positioning; beaten by Bipin repeatedly.
Ahmed Jahouh (CM) 5/10 Slowed the game down when pace was needed.
Puitea (CM) 6/10 Only player who looked interested. Booked.
Jerry Mawihmingthanga (RW) 5/10 Ineffective; subbed off injured.
Diego Mauricio (ST) 4/10 Starved of service but body language was terrible.
Post-Match Reaction
Carles Cuadrat (East Bengal FC Head Coach):
"I am very happy with the three points, but I am not completely satisfied with the performance. The first 15 minutes of the second half were unacceptable. We cannot lose the ball like that against stronger opponents. That said, the reaction after the 60th minute was perfect. Ezzejjari is a killer. Bipin scored a goal that we will show to our academy boys for years. The title race? We believe. We need help from other results, but as long as mathematics allows, we will fight."
Youssef Ezzejjari (East Bengal Striker, 2 Goals):
"The Golden Boot is nice, but I want the trophy. I want to lift the ISL Shield. Tonight, the team gave me two chances, and I took them. That is my job. Bipin's goal was better than mine! But I will take the two goals. We keep going."
Sergio Lobera (Odisha FC Head Coach):
"Disappointing. Very disappointing. We played well for 30 minutes, then we conceded a soft goal. In the second half, we lost our shape. We lost our discipline. East Bengal wanted it more tonight. We need to apologize to our fans who traveled to Kolkata. We will analyze and come back stronger."
The Title Race: How It Stands
With this 3-0 victory, East Bengal FC moves to 38 points from 20 matches. They are currently in 2nd place on the ISL 2025-26 table.
The league leaders (Mumbai City FC / Mohun Bagan SG, depending on the season's actual leaders) are on 40 points with two matches left. East Bengal has two matches remaining.
Remaining Fixtures for East Bengal: vs bottom-placed team (A), vs mid-table team (B).
Remaining Fixtures for League Leaders: vs playoff contender (C), vs East Bengal's rival (D).
Mathematically, if East Bengal wins both remaining games and the league leaders drop points in at least one, the title could come to Kolkata. It's a long shot, but it's alive.
Statistical Highlights from the Match
Youssef Ezzejjari now has 9 goals in 17 appearances, the highest in ISL 2025-26 as of April 28.
Bipin Singh's goal was his 5th of the season, his best return since 2022-23.
East Bengal recorded their 7th clean sheet of the season, the most by any team.
Naorem Mahesh Singh provided 2 assists, taking his season tally to 8.
Odisha FC lost their 4th consecutive away match.
Key Moments (Live Blog Style Recap)
18:30 IST: Mahesh Singh wins a corner for East Bengal. Pressure building.
22:10 IST: Ezzejjari's header forces a save from Amrinder.
34:00 IST: GOAL! Bipin Singh (East Bengal 1-0 Odisha FC)
45+2 IST: Half-time. East Bengal leads 1-0.
52:00 IST: Jay Gupta nearly gifts a goal; Lalchungnunga saves with a block.
60:00 IST: Triple substitution for East Bengal. Souvik, Suhair on.
65:00 IST: GOAL! Bipin Singh (East Bengal 2-0 Odisha FC)
78:00 IST: GOAL! Youssef Ezzejjari (East Bengal 3-0 Odisha FC)
90+4 IST: Full-time. East Bengal wins 3-0.
Hope Springs Eternal in Kolkata
For East Bengal FC, this was more than a win. It was a declaration of intent. After a turbulent season that saw managerial changes, injury crises, and inconsistent form, the red-and-gold brigade has found its rhythm at the perfect time. Youssef Ezzejjari is the league's most lethal finisher. Bipin Singh is back to his best. And the Salt Lake Stadium, for one night, felt like a fortress.
For Odisha FC, this result poses uncomfortable questions. With a squad boasting Diego Mauricio, Ahmed Jahouh, and Roy Krishna, a 3-0 capitulation in a high-stakes match is unacceptable. Sergio Lobera's job security will now be scrutinized.
But tonight belongs to Kolkata. As the players did a lap of honor, saluting the fans who never stopped singing, the message was clear: The title race is not over. Not yet.
Final Score: East Bengal FC 3 (Ezzejjari 34', 78', Bipin Singh 65') vs Odisha FC 0
Man of the Match: Bipin Singh (East Bengal FC)
For East Bengal FC, this was more than a win. It was a declaration of intent. After a turbulent season that saw managerial changes, injury crises, and inconsistent form, the red-and-gold brigade has found its rhythm at the perfect time. Youssef Ezzejjari is the league's most lethal finisher. Bipin Singh is back to his best. And the Salt Lake Stadium, for one night, felt like a fortress.
For Odisha FC, this result poses uncomfortable questions. With a squad boasting Diego Mauricio, Ahmed Jahouh, and Roy Krishna, a 3-0 capitulation in a high-stakes match is unacceptable. Sergio Lobera's job security will now be scrutinized.
But tonight belongs to Kolkata. As the players did a lap of honor, saluting the fans who never stopped singing, the message was clear: The title race is not over. Not yet.Final Score: East Bengal FC 3 (Ezzejjari 34', 78', Bipin Singh 65') vs Odisha FC 0
Man of the Match: Bipin Singh (East Bengal FC)
Venue: Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
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