ISL 2023-24: East Bengal lock horns with Jamshedpur FC

The last encounter between the two sides ended in a slender 2-1 loss for the Red & Gold Brigade.

East Bengal FC will host Jamshedpur FC at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday as their ISL 2023-24 opener. The Torchbearers won the first fixture away last season, to the Men of Steel by a comfortable margin. However, they succumbed to a defeat in the reverse fixture and hence will be looking to extract revenge in front of their faithful. 

Although both sides are looking strong, East Bengal looks more like a well-oiled and balanced unit. Jamshedpur FC are still worried about replacing former Mainz striker and marquee signing Petar Sliskovic on top of no foreign reinforcements in defence.

Their ISL debuting manager Scott Cooper will also be under additional pressure, going up against a former ISL winner in Carles Cuadrat. But the Red & Gold Brigade should be wary of any upsets regardless. Moreover, with star players like Prabhsukhan Gill, Cleiton Silva, Ritwik Das, and Daniel Chima Chukwu the fixture is bound to be a high-octane clash. Add to that the impressive ISL debutants Jose Pardo, Rei Tachikawa, and Alen Stevanovic, and its already a treat to the fans’ eyes.

Here is a detailed preview of this match.

The Stakes

East Bengal FC

Despite faltering in the Durand Cup finals, the Torchbearers made a statement of intent with their remarkable run. An unbeaten group stage record that featured a 1-0 derby win over arch-rivals Mohun Bagan after four years spoke volumes of their progress.

Furthermore, they secured a 2-1 quarter-final victory over Gokulam Kerala and another on penalties in the semi-final against NorthEast United. Fans are already hopeful of a return to the zenith for the club after such results, and Cuadrat will be under significant pressure to atleast get them a playoffs berth. A win in the opening game will provide the pedestal to the Spaniard to motivate his side to the same.

Jamshedpur FC

Injury woes and languishing form in the Durand Cup and Super Cup have posed a significant challenge for incoming manager Scott Cooper. The Irish-English head coach has his task cut out to help the former League winners restore their lost glory. Although he will want to gradually embark on a rebuild, the fans will want to see convincing results and anything short of that might work against him.

To make matters worse, their opening game is against a rejuvenating East Bengal side led by the able Carles Cuadrat. Cooper however, has the arsenal to stage an upset and if he tinkers around with his options, he can surely manage a point; maybe even get all three. That will give his side hope that they can go a long way this season and erase their shortcomings from the previous campaign. 

Injury & Team News

East Bengal have their full squad at their disposal apart from Jordan Elsey who is out for a long-term injury and Carles Cuadrat will have the freedom of fielding his preferred eleven. However, as per latest developments, Nishu Kumar has been unregistered from the ISL due to certain reasons unknown to us.

Jamshedpur FC meanwhile, will miss their star signing Petar Sliskovic, who was ruled out for the season after sustaining a knee injury a few days back.

Head-to-Head

East Bengal FC and Jamshedpur FC have clashed with each other six times in the ISL.

Played – 6

East Bengal FC – 2

Jamshedpur FC – 2

Drawn – 2

Predicted Line-Ups

East Bengal FC (4-2-3-1)

Prabhsukhan Singh Gill (GK), Harmanjot Khabra, Gursimrat Gill, Jose Pardo, Mandar Rao Dessai, Souvik Chakraborty, Saul Crespo, Nandhakumar Sekar, Borja Herrera, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Cleiton Silva.

Jamshedpur FC (4-2-3-1)

TP Rehenesh (GK), Ricky Lallawmawma, Pratik Chaudhary, Jitendra Singh, Wungngayam Muirang, Rei Tachikawa, Elsinho, Alen Stevanovic, Emil Benny, Ritwik Das, Daniel Chima Chukwu.

Player to Watch

Nandhakumar Sekar (East Bengal FC)

The natural right-winger was one of the lowkey signings for the Torchbearers. However, the veteran forward didn’t take long to establish himself as a fan-favorite, as he scored the solitary goal in the Durand Cup group stage derby. His weak foot strike was a thing of beauty and it only gives a brief glimpse of how potent his threat down the right flank could be. With a mezzala like Naorem Mahesh Singh on the other flank, Nandha’s ability to cut onto his weak foot will be melody to Cuadrat’s ears.

Emil Benny (Jamshedpur FC)

In the absence of Sliskovic upfront all eyes will be on the former I-League Emerging Player of the Year winner. Daniel Chima Chukwu’s menacing physicality is a known threat and incoming winger Alen Stevanovic is not yet a proven product. But Benny announced his skill set to the league last season with NorthEast United, showcasing his mettle amidst a below-par side.

His ability to release the likes of Ritwik Das, Chima Chukwu, and Stevanovic while being a consistent threat dribbling down the flanks or taking a shot on goal, will make him a worthy opponent for the Red & Gold Brigade.

Did You Know?

• East Bengal’s Brazilian ace Cleiton Silva actually finished level on goals with ISL Golden Boot winner Diego Mauricio and Mohun Bagan striker Dimitri Petratos last season (12 goals). He only lost out to the Mauricio on a goals-per-minute ratio.
• Jamshedpur FC are among the few sides this season without a proper foreign defensive player in their squad.
• East Bengal FC had a second consecutive upheaval after Carles Cuadrat’s arrival and Stephen Constantine’s departure following only one season at the club. 

Telecast

The kick-off time for the East Bengal vs Jamshedpur FC game is at 8:00 pm IST on 25th September (Monday). The match will be played at the Salt Lake Stadium. The game will be telecasted live on the Sports18 1 TV Channel. JioCinema will also stream the match.