Inter Kashi vs East Bengal Preview - Lineups, Team News | ISL 2026-27
Inter Kashi will lock horns against the Red and Gold Brigade in Pune.
The match between Inter Kashi FC and East Bengal FC is scheduled to take place at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune on 23 October, with kick-off set for 17:00 IST.
After wasting a 2-1 lead against Al Shorta SC in the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two, East Bengal FC, the reigning Indian Super League (ISL) champions, started their 2026-27 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign with a decisive 4-0 victory against Churchill Brothers SC.
East Bengal’s next assignment takes them to Pune, where they will lock horns with Inter Kashi FC, a club that holds familiar connections for several members of the Red and Gold Brigade. Five members of the East Bengal setup, including the head coach and his assistant, have been associated with Inter Kashi over the past 18–24 months.
Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Kerala Blasters FC in their season opener, Inter Kashi demonstrated plenty of fighting spirit. They bounced back in their second outing to earn their first point of the 2026–27 ISL campaign, holding Odisha FC to a draw. Thoi Singh’s stunning strike proved decisive, cancelling out Pratik’s own goal and earning his side a valuable point.
However, Inter Kashi’s current circumstances are markedly different. No longer able to flex their financial muscle in the transfer market, the club have had to adopt a different approach to squad building. Having faced multiple transfer-related sanctions over unpaid salaries, they have assembled a squad featuring predominantly Indian players under the guidance of Portuguese tactician Carlos Vaz Pinto.
On paper, East Bengal appear to have the upper hand, given the contrasting circumstances of the two teams. The defending champions will be eager to claim another three points before turning their attention to the upcoming double-header against Al-Seeb. Nevertheless, football rarely follows the script, and Antonio Habas will know better than most that underestimating a determined opponent can come at a cost.
The Stakes
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Inter Kashi
Inter Kashi FC have come a long way to secure their place in the 2026–27 Indian Super League. From prolonged legal battles and the unavailability of a home venue to multiple registration bans and significant delays in finalising their new investment deal, the club have faced numerous challenges.
However, despite these setbacks, Inter Kashi have managed to prepare for the upcoming ISL season.
With nearly 16 new signings made in the space of just a few days before the start of the season, they have assembled a competitive squad featuring a mix of young and experienced players.
However, most of their new recruits will enter the season without the benefit of a proper pre-season, while East Bengal FC appear to have a relatively stronger squad on paper and have enjoyed better pre-season preparations.
Hence, Inter Kashi FC will be desperate to turn their fortunes around when they face East Bengal next. After opening their ISL 2026–27 campaign with a 1-1 draw against Odisha FC before suffering a 2-0 defeat to Kerala Blasters FC, they find themselves languishing at the bottom of the table.
The Varanasi-based side will aim to bounce back, remain resilient and composed, and secure a positive result against the defending champions. With confidence to rebuild and valuable points at stake, Inter Kashi will look to put their early setbacks behind them and get their campaign back on track.
East Bengal FC
East Bengal FC, the reigning Indian Super League (ISL) champions, started their 2026-27 ISL campaign with a decisive 4-0 victory against Churchill Brothers SC.
But against an Inter Kashi team looking to recover from their previous loss, Habas and his team will need to stay focused, keep up the offensive acumen they showed against Churchill Brothers, and avoid complacency.
Antonio López Habas, the former coach of Inter Kashi, had a personal link to the match. The Varanasi-based team has also been represented by a number of East Bengal players, including Sandip Mandi, Rohit Danu, Asif Khan, and Narender Gahlot. Their knowledge of Inter Kashi’s structure might make the encounter more interesting.
The Red and Gold Brigade, under their Spanish gaffer Antonio López Habas, will look to carry their winning momentum into the clash against Inter Kashi before turning their attention to the upcoming double-header against Al-Seeb.
Team News
Inter Kashi FC do not have any major injury concerns or suspensions ahead of their game against East Bengal FC. However, the team was recently hit with yet another transfer registration ban, and they missed out on two players and will now play with an all-Indian squad till the January transfer window.
East Bengal also have a fully fit squad, but Habas’ main challenge will be to rotate his players effectively amid a packed domestic and continental schedule.
Head-to-Head
- Total Matches – 1
- Inter Kashi wins – 0
- East Bengal FC wins – 1
- Draws – 0
Predicted Lineups
Inter Kashi FC (4-4-2)
Albino Gomes (GK); Laldinliana Renthlei, Pratik Chaudhari, Gursimrat Singh Gill, Wayne Vaz; Rosenberg Gilbert Gabriel, Hitesh Sharma, Jitendra Singh, Manvir Singh; Sumeet Passi, Ayush Chhikara
East Bengal FC (4-4-3)
Phurba Lachenpa (GK); Jay Gupta, Anwar Ali, Diego Zivulic, Sandip Mandi; Dani Ramirez, Jeakson Singh, Mohammed Rashid; PV Vishnu, Bipin Singh, Edmund Lalrindika.
Players to Watchout
Inter Kashi FC – Sumeet Passi
The Haryana-born striker has stayed with the club through thick and thin. The former India international is a versatile player who can even play as a fullback. Passi has made over 40+ appearances for Kashi and was part of the I-League-winning squad.
A product of Chandigarh’s youth academy, Passi has donned jerseys of Sporting Goa, Jamshedpur, Round Glass Punjab and East Bengal before finding his new home with the Varanasi-based outfit.
Passi could be a key figure for Carlos Vaz Pinto’s side in the backline as Inter Kashi look to neutralise the threats posed by East Bengal’s wing play and attacking prowess. The Red and Gold Brigade boast several players in sublime form, including Bipin Singh, PV Vishnu, Edmund Lalrindika, Dani Ramírez, Ake Loba and Mohammed Rashid.
East Bengal – Dani Ramirez
Dani Ramirez, the Spanish midfielder who makes things happen in East Bengal’s attack through his effortless chance creation and consistent goal contributions will be once again the key player for the Torchbearers against Inter Kashi.
He scored a stunning free-kick in East Bengal’s last match against Churchill Brothers, opening his ISL goal account for the Red and Gold Brigade. Under Antonio López Habas’s system, he has emerged as a key figure in East Bengal’s midfield alongside Jeakson Singh and Mohammed Rashid, particularly following Miguel Figueira’s departure.
Once again, he will need to fire on all cylinders against Inter Kashi to help East Bengal secure all three points against the Varanasi-based club before turning their attention to their AFC commitments.
One thing that remains to be seen is whether Ramírez starts against Inter Kashi, with Habas potentially looking to rest him ahead of East Bengal’s two crucial AFC Champions League Two fixtures.
Did you know?
- East Bengal defeated Inter Kashi 2–1 on 21 May 2026, in a crucial fixture that secured their maiden ISL title. Youssef Ezzejjari equalised before Mohammed Rashid scored the decisive goal.
- Antonio López Habas returns to face Inter Kashi, the club he coached before taking charge of East Bengal. He will now try to outwit his former side as he leads the defending ISL champions.
- Players like Sandip Mandi, Narender Gahlot, Asif Khan, Rohit Danu, including the head coach and his assistant, have been associated with Inter Kashi over the past 18–24 months before joining East Bengal.
- Having faced multiple transfer-related sanctions over unpaid salaries, Inter Kashi have assembled a squad featuring predominantly Indian players under the guidance of Portuguese tactician Carlos Vaz Pinto.
Telecast details
The match between Inter Kashi and East Bengal FC will take place on October 23, 2026, at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex (Balewadi Stadium), Pune
The match kicks off at 5 PM IST. The match will be shown live on Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD and will be available to stream digitally for free on YouTube.
When is the ISL match between Inter Kashi and East Bengal FC?
The match between Inter Kashi FC and East Bengal FC is scheduled to take place at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune on 23 October, with kick-off set for 17:00 IST.
Where fans can watch the match live?
The match will be shown live on Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD and will be available to stream digitally for free on YouTube.
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