KOLKATA: East Bengal defeated Hyderabad FC 2-0 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25, on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. 

The Red and Gold Brigade have thus won thrice in a row for the first time in the ISL. East Bengal FC are now at the eighth spot with 27 points from 22 games.     

There were two key highlights of the game right until the end, i.e. individual lapses by the Hyderabad FC backline and Messi Bouli’s industrious efforts to break the deadlock. 

Both aspects came to the fore in the concluding 10 minutes, starting off with Manoj Mohammed’s own goal following a corner by East Bengal FC in the 86th minute, as the away team’s backline wore a disoriented look courtesy of East Bengal FC piling up numbers forward and complementing that with some brilliance upfront by their dynamic forwards.

Manoj’s hasty attempt at keeping the ball away from the danger zone backfired, before Saul Crespo and Messi Bouli joined hands to land the second goal in the added time of the second half. The Red and Gold Brigade hit Hyderabad FC on an immediate counter-attack and Crespo was quick to spot and serve the attacker a pass at the centre of the Hyderabad FC box.

Messi Bouli picked the ball with a deft touch and slotted into the bottom left corner to double the lead and take three points to their tally.

East Bengal FC are set to play Bengaluru FC on March 2, whereas Hyderabad FC will feature against Punjab FC on March 6.

(Courtesy: ISL Media Team)