East Bengal FC vs Hyderabad FC lineups, team news, prediction & preview

The Torchbearers will be keen to sign off with an impressive win over the Nawabs.

Indian Super League (ISL) club East Bengal FC are determined to build on some winning momentum when they host Hyderabad FC at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday (26 February).

With the Red & Gold Brigade eyeing a top-10 finish to end the 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign, they must do their best to oust the energetic Hyderabad side.

The Stakes

East Bengal FC

All East Bengal can now do is win as many matches as possible to end the ISL campaign on a positive note. They may be mathematically still in the ISL playoffs race, but that could end if NorthEast United FC or Mumbai City FC get another win. The Torchbearers can finish as high as the eighth place in the standings and will be eyeing that on Wednesday. However, they must be sharp to do away with this unpredictable and attack-minded Hyderabad FC side.

The Red and Gold need to be defensively sturdy to keep a check on their opponents and be as clinical in finishing off chances as they were in their recent win over Punjab FC. A win can bolster the club’s momentum ahead of the upcoming AFC Challenge League games, but a loss can dampen the team’s mood.

Hyderabad FC

Hyderabad FC must win all their remaining matches to have any chance of securing a top-10 finish. The Nawabs have little to lose, which allows them the license to play without fear against East Bengal FC. They will look to take the fight to the Torchbearers and torment them with quick attacking moves to expose their defensive issues.

However, Hyderabad FC’s players need to be razor-sharp and decisive in taking their opportunities because East Bengal will not give them that many in the first place. A draw or loss does not impact Hyderabad FC’s season anymore, but a win can help them gain more traction for their promising young players and become building blocks for next season.

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Team & Injury News

Due to season-ending knee and cruciate ligament injuries, the Torchbearers will miss Madih Talal and Hijazi Maher. Richard Celis is also an injury concern for Oscar Bruzon’s side.

Hyderabad FC will be fielding a fully fit starting XI ahead of their upcoming game.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches Played – 11

East Bengal wins – 3

Hyderabad FC wins – 4

Draws – 4

Probable Lineups

East Bengal (4-4-2)

Prabhsukhan Gill (GK), Mohamad Rakip, Anwar Ali, Hector Yuste, Lalchungnunga, Souvik Chakrabarti, Saul Crespo, Naorem Mahesh Singh, PV Vishnu, Raphael Messi Bouli, Dimitri Diamantakos

Hyderabad FC (4-2-3-1)

Arshdeep Singh (GK), Abdul Rabeeh, Alex Saji, Stefan Sapic, Manoj Mohammed, Andrei Alba, Isaac Vanmalsawma, Devendra Murgaonkar, Cy Goddard, Ramhlunchhunga, Edmilson Correia

Players to Watch

Naorem Mahesh Singh (East Bengal)

Naorem Mahesh Singh has started to excel under Oscar Bruzon’s guidance at East Bengal and is excelling in his free role. He can play more in central areas, allowing him more flexibility and freedom to roam into the most potent areas in the opposition box. Mahesh is coming off two goal contributions in the last two matches and is flying high on confidence.

He will use his momentum to torment the Hyderabad FC players, sneaking them into the best areas in the final third. He will use his creative qualities to play the best final third passes to help his side get more goal-scoring chances, but Singh will also look to get into the box more often to maintain his personal goal run.

Edmilson Correira (Hyderabad FC)

Edmilson has been a breath of fresh air for Hyderabad FC’s attack, with his pace and dribbling ability adding another layer to their attacking force. The 24-year-old will need to be at his sharpest for Hyderabad FC to cause real trouble to East Bengal and get a win away from Kolkata. Edmilson will need to use his dribbling ability to waltz his way past players and get the ball into the box, where he’ll need to be decisive with either shots or passes to his teammates.

If Edmilson can hit his stride, he could cause significant problems for the East Bengal backline and destabilize them enough to cause them to make errors. If the 24-year-old can be at his best in the final third, he could inspire Hyderabad FC to a big win and put on a real spectacle at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Did You Know?

• Six of East Bengal FC’s 24 goals scored in the ISL so far (after 21 matches) have come in their last two matches.
• Hyderabad FC have conceded 41 goals in the ISL so far in the 2024-25 season, the most for any team.
• East Bengal have won four of their 10 matches at home in the ISL so far in the 2024-25 campaign.

Telecast Details

The match between East Bengal FC and Hyderabad FC will take place on Wednesday (26 February) at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata. It will kick off at 7:30 PM IST. The match will be shown live on Star Sports 3 and be streamed live on the JioHotstar app. International viewers can catch the action on the OneFootball app.

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