East Bengal boss Oscar Bruzon calls out 'unfair' red card in 1-0 loss to Mohun Bagan Super Giant in Kolkata Derby

A lone goal from Jamie Maclaren saw Mohun Bagan grab all three points in the Kolkata Derby.

Oscar Bruzon’s East Bengal FC failed to secure their first-ever win Kolkata Derby win in the Indian Super League (ISL) after losing 1-0 to the Mohun Bagan Super Giant. The hopes of securing a crucial victory in matchweek 16 were dashed as defensive lapses and lack of cutting edge hurt their chances.

While the derby played in Guwahati was fiercely contested, individual errors and contentious refereeing decisions continue to haunt East Bengal’s campaign this season. The loss leaves East Bengal in the 11th spot in the league standings, nine points away from the coveted top-six spots.

Oscar Bruzon lauds his team despite the result

Despite the result, head coach Oscar Bruzon commended his players’ efforts to keep fighting throughout the game. Conceding early goals have been a concerning trend for the Torchbearers and once again was their undoing on the night.

While talking about the game, Bruzon stated, “I think that the game plan worked perfectly, except for the last part of the game, when the game was open, we blocked them in all the areas, I think that we stopped all the gaps, especially on the wings, making it a difficult game, both for Manvir and for Liston, who are the players that like to have space…they were not creating big chances.”

Bruzon reaffirmed that this is the way for his team to keep moving forward and highlighted how his team kept themselves in the game till the very end.

ALSO READ: ISL 2024-25: Full fixtures, schedule, results, standings & more

Bruzon aware of the fatal defensive mistakes

The decisive moment came early in the game from yet another defensive lapse of East Bengal FC. A half-hearted attempt to stop the cross and Hejazi allowing Jamie Maclaren to run past him resulted in him scoring the only goal of the game. The Torchbearers’ head coach expressed concern over his team’s repeated individual errors.

While talking about similar mistakes in the past, he stated, “More succession of events, unbelievable mistakes, crazy, fatal mistakes on our back, when the team is looking solid, when the opponent is not creating problems, we just make a Christmas gift to Mohun Bagan, not clearing the ball, it happened in the last game, and again, it’s coming in this game, so all these events are really punishing us.”

The inability to clear their lines effectively continues to undermine the team’s performances despite structured gameplay, according to coach Bruzon.

Was Souvik Chakrabarti’s red card the right decision?

The match was also marred by controversial officiating. The East Bengal head coach criticized the referee’s decisions, particularly the first yellow card issued to Souvik Chakrabarti, which he described as “unfair.” The defender’s subsequent dismissal for a second yellow card left East Bengal with 10 men, a situation that has become alarmingly frequent under Bruzon’s tenure. While pointing out other moments, including a potential handball by Mohun Bagan‘s Apuia in the first half, Bruzon lamented the poor refereeing costing his team.

He stated, “I cannot accept the red card of Souvik, just watch what happened in the first yellow card, it is not fair. The second yellow card, he is cutting a counter-attack, and he has to do it, otherwise it is 2-0…but the first yellow card of the game is very unfortunate, and again, it is the 5th time that we are having a handball in the opponent’s box and it is not called. We never get that action. In critical actions, we never get the right decision.”

Despite the challenges, East Bengal showed a fight, especially in the closing stages. Bruzon believed that his side were the better team in the last 15 minutes, even with 10 men, though they failed to convert their chances.

Reflecting on the larger picture, Bruzon remained optimistic. With just nine games left in the league, Bruzon acknowledged the uphill task of climbing the table but emphasized the need to recompose for upcoming competitions, including the Super Cup and AFC Challenge League games in the coming months.

The loss leaves East Bengal in 11th place, but Bruzon believes the team can turn things around. While the derby defeat will sting both fans and players alike, East Bengal’s focus now shifts to performing better in upcoming games as they aim for a stronger finish to the season.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.