Late Drama Keep the ISL Alive for the Final Day

Image by Debjoy Biswas/Pixel Sports

An 85 minute strike from Edmund almost ensured the ISL title for East Bengal. But Mohun Bagan came back through a 90th minute Cummings header to secure a 1-1 draw and keep their title hopes alive. As chances galored, this report will give an immersive narration of the flow of the match.

Indian Super League has been home to the Kolkata giants for a few years now. But the billing has been thus far below par. A dominant Mohun Bagan has had the better of a struggling East Bengal in the initial stage. But ISL 2025-26 finally haa a Kolkata derby with a script written in the stars. Penultimate match or the season. Tied on points. East Bengal ahead by a +5 goal difference. This is virtually the league decider. The oldest and one of the biggest derbies in Asian football will decide the top tier league champion. What more could the football fanatic ask for from the footballing gods!

Mohun Bagan has struggles to score in their recent outings. Both Maclaren and Cummings looked lackluster against Inter Kashi. So Lobera decided to go for a more solid approach by starting only 3 foreigners for the night. The Aldred-Alberto duo would hold the fort. Subhasish and Abhimeitei go the nod. The midfield comprised of Thapa, Apuia, Liston, Manvir and Sahal. A lineup straight out of the national teamsheet almost. Maclaren started as the lone striker.

East Bengal on the other hand opted for a more tested approach. Oscar has been flexible all season about the backline formation, often shifting between 5 and 4 at back in the middle of the match as well. East Bengal failed to score in their last match. But Miguel and Rashid hit the post. The defense line of Sibille, Anwar and Rakip remain intact. But Jay Gupta and Jealson started keeping the opponent guessing whether Jealson would slot in the back or he would start from the middle alongside Rashid. Vishnu and Bipin on the wings and Miguel from the middle were automatic choices. But the striker position came as a surprise for many where Sojberg got the nod ahead of the lead top scorer Ezzejjari.

The pre match atmosphere was electrifying with a more than 60000 string housefull crowd. The passing away of legendary Mohun Bagan administrator Swapan Sadhan Basu and the tributes paid to him by both the clubs has created a mood of harmony in the last few days. But the on field rivalry was sure to surpass all the pre match goodwill and transpire to be a battle.

After some chaotic passing in the beginning, Mohun Bagan were the first to create attacking width through the left. On the 4th minute of the match, Liston played a ball for Subhasish whose cross found Sahal. But Sahal failed to trap the ball as Sibille cleared the lines for a corner. The corner from Colaco found the head of Aldred. But it was off target. Mohun Bagan earned another corner in quick succession. But to no avail.

East Bengal found their first clear chance in the 7th minute id the match. A quick ball from Prabsukhan Gill found Vishnu alone in front of Kaith. But Abhimeitei made a last ditch block to deny Vishnu.

East Bengal were looking a little rattled by defensively by the enormity of the occassion. Anwar Ali out of everyone made a near bowler in the 8th minute when Manvir snatched the ball off him. The cross was first partially blocked by Sibille and then Rakip recovered well to finally deny Maclaren a clear shot at the goal. With 10 minutes past, Mohun Bagan were surely looking more dominant in the initial minutes.

It was now Mohun Bagan's turn to return the favor of defensive howler. Apuia attempted a fancy backheel in the defensive half on the 14th minute. Sojberg snatched the ball and took a shot after a couple of dribbles. The shot took a deflection from Aldred and hit the post beyond a diving Kaith. So close yet so far for East Bengal. Sojberg would feel that he should have scored from this.

On the 19 minute mark, Mohun Bagan created another good chance again from the left wing. Manvir dribbled past the entire midfield to play a ball for Liston who dribbled past Rakip and put a low cross in. The ball went tentalisingly close to Maclaren across the 6 yard box.

On the 22 minute mark of the match East Bengal found a chance from which it was a crime not to score. Jeakson played a through ball that found Bipin with Sojberg with him and a 2 v 1 position against Kaith. But Bipin tried to dribble the keeper which gave Aldred and Alberto time to recover and make a block.

The cat and mouse nature of the match kept continuing when Anirudh Thapa attempted a trademark shot from the edge of the box in the 24th minute of the match. Gill made a smart diving save to keep the scoreline at 0-0.

As the dust settled a little, both teams went into a water break around the 30 minute mark. Alberto has conceded a yellow card in the meantime for a tackle on Sojberg. But right after the resumtion of play, Sahal attempted a shot from outside the box. Gill looker stranded as the ball swerved outside the post.

Liston had been a livewire this far for Mohun Bagan. He created a goal almost single handedly in the 36th minute or the match. He dribbled past Jeakson twice and then skimmed past Rashid to take a shot from outside the box. But it went just wide.

East Bengal almost scored against in the 37th minute, or atleast they should have scored. Miguel this time player another perfectly timed pass for Sojberg who found only the goalkeeper to beat. But his heavy first touch took the ball away from him.

Almost immediately after, Mohun Bagan created a chance of their own from yet another defensive error from East Bengal. Jeakson lost the ball at the edge of the box to Apuia. He fed the ball to Manvir who should have scored. But the shot deflected off Anwar for a corner. Another golden chance wasted.

Another long range effort from Thapa was blocked away in the 42nd minute by Rakip this time. Gill almost spilled the ball from the corner. It could have been dangerous. But after some jugglery he finally got the ball in his control.

As the teams went in for the half time break, both the coaches would ask for more defensive stability in the second half as both looked shaky in the deep defense. Bipin got a chance just a minute into the second half when a clumsy dribbling effort was not cleared well by Aldred and fell for him infront of Kaith. But he skied the ball from an acute angle.

Mohun Bagan induced the first save of the half from Gill on the 40 minute mark when a Liston through ball found Abhimeitei. After coming into the box unopposed, he attempted his luck from a difficult angle. Gill calmly palmed the ball away for a corner. The creation of chances continued for both the teams as Jeakson now attempted a shot from far away. It was not far off the mark. The crowd was slowly getting into the act now, cheering on every pass almost.

Another corner in the 54th minute for Mohun Bagan once again almost broken the deadlock. The corner taken by Liston was flicked on by Manvir for Maclaren who could not reach the end of it. Another chance went begging.

Apuia was tackled in the 58th minute by Jeakson that resulted in a Mohun Bagan freekick. Liston lined it up from around 25 yards out. Following his trademark stance, he connected well for the kick that went just beyond the crossbar.

Following the pattern of the first half, East Bengal started looking more comfortable in possession after the first 15 minutes. On this crucial juncture, Oscar made a double change for East Bengal in the 63rd minute. Edmund was brought on for Vishnu and Ezejjari was brought on for Sojberg. With the top goalscorer and one of the most exciting Indian prospects in the league coming on, it became clear that Oscar would now look to push for the win.

Just like Liston in the first half, Miguel tried to go solo on the 64 minute mark. He dribbled past the entire midfield to open it up and take a shot. Kaith saved well. The follow up found Edmund who took another shot that was blocked off. Within the next two minutes, Jeakson found an opening this time to attempt a shot. His shot went past and outstretched Kaith but also went wide of the post. With the attacking intensity increasing by the minute, it looked almost certain now that the match will not finish in a goalless scoreline.

Lobera made an attacking change as well around the 68 minute mark by bringing on Petratos to replace Sahal. He was surely looking at the veteran Mohun Bagan legend for some positive attacking output to counter the pressure mounted by East Bengal in the last 10 minutes or so. It almost paid off in the 72nd minute from yet another mispass from the East Bengal defense. Liston almost opened it up. But the ever secured Anwar intercepted and cleared his line.

After the water break, Lobera made two more changes in the 76th minute. Mehtab Singh on for Manvir and Robson on for Aldred. Mehtab would now slot in the defense alongside Alberto while Robson would play in the wing in Manvir's place. With less than 15 minutes of regular time to play, the tension was palpable around the stands in both fanbases.

Kevin Sibille was proving to be the defensive wall the East Bengal lacked in the first half. He made another critical interception in the 79th minute when Maclaren was played through for a shot. Mohun Bagan was now moving into a must score territory. The next two changes showed that. Lobera now went all out by bringing on Cummings in place of Alberto and Tangri in place of Apuia. Both the foreign defenders were now taken off with Tangri and Mehtab playing the centre back duo. East Bengal was now slowly looking tired. But this perhaps was their best chance to exploit q significantly weaker Mohun Bagan defense compared to the beginning of the match.

Robson was looking to take Rakip on in the left flank. He tried a timid attempt in the 84th minute of the match.

The deadlock was finally broken on the 85 minute mark. Miguel was once again at the centre of it all. A long ball first found the header of Ezejjari who played the ball onto Miguel. Edmund has already started to make his run. Miguel calmly player a through ball that wasdealt with calmly and was slotted in the far corner by Edmund with his first touch. With five minutes of regular time to play, East Bengal would surely think that they have secured the match and the title. But Mohun Bagan would try till the bitter end to defend their title. A nailbiting finish was now on the cards.

Mohun Bagan earned a corner in the final minute of the regulation time. And cometh the hour cometh the man. Petratos put the corner in that was flicked into the far corner by Cummings. A man who has had a lackluster season has finally scored one of the most crucial goals of the campaign. This encounter just refuses to die down. As the match went into 7 minutes of added time, the bitter rivals were locked at a scoreline of 1-1.

Both the teams were looking for one final chance. And Bipin found it for East Bengal in the 95th minute. An Edmund lay off found the overlapping Bipin who could have easily slotted the ball in the far corner. But he scoffed the ball away with no power. But the best chance of the match arguably was created in the final minute of the added time when Cummings finally found an opening from a counter. His cross found Maclaren in front of the goal from a point blank range. Gill made himself as big as possible to complete an instnctive save.

As the final whistle was blown by the referee, the curtains were called to this enhrallijg encounter. The result keeps the league firmly open for the final day. East Bengal will have a slight advantage for having a superior goal difference. But they will have to ensure a win. Otherwise Mohun Bagan, Punjab FC and Mumbai City are all waiting to grab the chance. To be fair, Jamshedpur FC and FC Goa are also mathematically not out of title contention yet. With as many as 6 teams having a mathematical possibility to grab the title on the final day, it remains all to play for.