Ever since joining the ISL, this season has looked different for East Bengal FC. For the first time, the Red and Gold brigade is standing at the doorstep of the championship. But on a night when a victory could have strengthened their title dream, they were forced to settle for a frustrating 0-0 draw against Punjab FC at Yuva Bharati.
Only around 17,500 supporters turned up at the stadium, a disappointing turnout given the stakes. Yet the players kept fighting till the final whistle. What denied East Bengal was not effort, but sheer bad luck.
East Bengal wasted golden chances late on
The opening phase belonged largely to Punjab FC. East Bengal looked unusually defensive from the beginning and struggled to create attacking momentum. Soubhik Chakraborty was booked early after a reckless tackle on Danny Ramirez and was later withdrawn by coach Oscar Bruzon. Punjab nearly took the lead in the 26th minute when Danny Ramirez fired narrowly off target. East Bengal’s first real chance came in the 30th minute after Miguel set up Bipin Singh inside the box, but the goalkeeper reacted quickly to deny him.
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The second half saw a much sharper East Bengal side. Bishnu and Rakip combined well early after the restart, while goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill made two crucial saves to keep the scores level.
Miguel and Rashid missed the chance by inches
The final 20 minutes completely changed the mood of the match. Miguel nearly produced a goal of the season contender in the 75th minute when his curling effort from the right struck the post. Minutes later, another thunderous strike from the winger flew inches over the bar. Then came the biggest heartbreak in stoppage time. Rashid attempted an audacious long-range effort from midfield with the goalkeeper out of position. The ball struck the inside of the post but somehow stayed out, leaving East Bengal stunned.
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Despite the draw, East Bengal’s fighting spirit was evident. However, the dropped points gave Mohun Bagan Super Giant a major advantage in the title race. If Mohun Bagan win their next two matches, the championship will be theirs.
