East Bengal vs Mohammedan Sporting Lineups, team news, prediction & preview

A bottom-of-the-table clash while the hosts still scavenge for their first point.

East Bengal are eager to finally win the first match of their 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign when they host Kolkata rivals Mohammedan Sporting at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday (9 November).

The Red & Gold Brigade are coming off a highly impressive AFC Challenge League campaign, but face a wounded Black Panthers side that are determined to get back to winning ways.

The Stakes

East Bengal

Oscar Bruzon’s side proved just how good they can be once able to gather some rhythm and momentum in the Asian competition. They topped their group in the AFC Challenge League to book a spot in the quarter-finals. With a lot of momentum on their side, East Bengal look to finally kick-start their league campaign in the right way.

Bruzon will look to ensure that his side continue playing the high pressing, attacking style even in the ISL and take their opponents by surprise with their energetic nature. A win can definitely help build on the confidence of the East Bengal side, but a draw or a loss after coming off the AFC Challenge League campaign can put another dampener on their hopes.

Mohammedan Sporting

Coming into this derby at the back of three straight losses, Mohammedan Sporting are also looking to get out of the rut. They’ve been sloppy in the last few matches, something that head coach Andrey Chernyshov needs to fix quickly to get them competing for an ambitious top-six place again.

Mohammedan Sporting have had lots of rest since their previous loss to Hyderabad FC and will look to use all that pent-up aggression and energy to produce a tour de force against East Bengal. The Black Panthers know that another loss will take them even closer to the bottom of the ISL table and further demoralize the squad. That’s why they need to fight hard for a win or at least a draw to raise the players’ spirits.

Team & Injury News

Mark Zothanpuia, who has been unavailable since the Kolkata Derby loss, is likely to miss this game. Hector Yuste is also injured. Provat Lakra is suspended for this after getting sent off against Odisha FC.

Mohammedan Sporting are going to miss midfielder Abdul Kadiri, who has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

Head-to-Head

This will be the first time East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting will face each other in the ISL. But here are how their encounters in the I-League (or National Football League) went.

Matches Played – 11

East Bengal wins – 9

Mohammedan Sporting wins – 0

Draws – 2

Probable Lineups

East Bengal (4-2-3-1)

Prabhsukhan Gill (GK); Mohamad Rakip, Anwar Ali, Hijazi Maher, Lalchungnunga; Sauvik Chakrabari, Saul Crespo; Madih Talal, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Nandhakumar Sekar; Dimitrios Diamantakos

Mohammedan Sporting (4-4-1-1)

Padam Chhetri (GK); Vanlalzuidika Chhakchhuak, Gaurav Bora, Florent Ogier, Zodingliana Ralte; Lalremsanga Fanai, Amarjit Kiyam, Mirjalol Kasimov, Makan Chothe; Alexis Gomez; Carlos Franca

Players to Watch

Dimitrios Diamantakos (East Bengal)

Dimitrios Diamantakos earned a lot of criticism for his shaky start to the 2024-25 ISL campaign, failing to score in his first five games for East Bengal. But he has silenced his doubters with his excellent comeback under Oscar Bruzon. He gained some momentum by scoring against Odisha FC and enjoyed a brilliant AFC Challenge League campaign, scoring four goals in three games.

He’s flying high on confidence heading into the game against a Mohammedan Sporting side that have conceded nine goals in their last three games. He’ll look to maintain his impressive form by being a tormenting factor in the final third, using his clever movement and positional skills to be a troublesome figure. He’ll look to finish off the chances clinically to help East Bengal get a big win and maintain his impressive run.

Alexis Gomez (Mohammedan Sporting)

Alexis Gomez has been one of the brightest sparks for the Mohammedan Sporting side so far this season, bringing energy and innovation to their frontline. In the six appearances, he’s scored one of Mohammedan’s three league goals so far and been a menacing presence in the opposition half. The 24-year-old has averaged two chances created and 39 passes per game, trying his best to drive his side to success.

Gomez will need to do even better against East Bengal to give his side the edge in the derby. He’ll need to be more precise with his final third passes to create chances for his forwards and also be super clinical in finishing off whatever comes his path. If he can tap into his most prolific nature, then the Argentine could cause trouble for the East Bengal backline and help his side get a memorable result.

Did you know?

• The last time East Bengal faced Mohammedan Sporting in a league game was in the 2014 I-League, when they picked up a 3-1 win.
• Mohammedan Sporting have scored the fewest goals (3) of all the ISL teams after a minimum of six matches played this season.
• East Bengal remain the only team to have lost all their ISL matches this season and yet to pick up a single point.

Telecast Details

The East Bengal vs Mohammedan Sporting game will take place at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on Saturday (9 November 2024). The game kicks off at 7:30 PM IST. It will be shown live on Sports 18 and be available to watch online on Jio Cinema and Jio TV. International viewers can watch the game on the OneFootball app.

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