East Bengal head coach Antonio Habas satisfied after defeating Inter Kashi in ISL 2026–27

East Bengal climb to the top of the table after securing back-to-back dominant victories.

East Bengal FC produced a commanding performance to thrash Inter Kashi FC 5–1 in their second match of the 2026-27 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign and have secured all the three points before their all-important away ACL Two clash against Al-Seeb on October 27,2026.

East Bengal hammered four goals in 27 minutes in the first half and struck another one late to win 5-1, remaining atop the ISL 2026-27 standings.

East Bengal FC delivered a commanding attacking display to secure a convincing victory over Inter Kashi FC. Dani Ramírez broke the deadlock with a brilliant finish into the top-left corner, before Vishnu Puthiya doubled the Torchbearers’ lead with a clinical strike following a swift counterattack. Aké Loba subsequently converted from the penalty spot to strengthen East Bengal’s advantage.

After the break, East Bengal continued to dictate proceedings, with Lukasz Zwoliński finding the net from close range to add to the goal tally. The emphatic victory saw the Red and Gold Brigade collect all three points and extend their unbeaten run in the ISL to 12 matches. Consecutive commanding wins have also propelled East Bengal to the summit of the league standings.

The Torchbearers shine bright as Antonio Habas’ men take home all the points from Balewadi. After the dominating victory against Inter Kashi, East Bengal head coach Antonio Lopez Habas have addressed the media.

Here is the post-match press conference of East Bengal FC following their victory over Inter Kashi in their second match of the ISL 2026–27 season in Pune.

Habas comments on the 5-star performance of East Bengal

East Bengal FC head coach Antonio López Habas expressed his satisfaction after back-to-back dominant victories in ISL 2026–27, while also shifting his focus towards the upcoming AFC fixture.

Habas stated: “I am happy with the result. Our approach is to make the players understand their responsibilities better. All players attack, and all players defend. Our next focus is on the AFC match, as the Inter Kashi game is now behind us.”

Speaking about squad rotation, he added, “I have to discuss it with the players beforehand. Loba, Lukasz and David are all very good players.”

“It depends on the player’s condition and whether they are suited to starting in the first eleven for a particular match. We have a lot of matches to play, so we have to rotate our players across different competitions. Congratulations to all the players for delivering a five-star performance. I am really happy for the East Bengal fans,” he added.

Antonio Habas reflects on his return to Pune after a decade and the evolution of Indian football

Antonio Habas reflected nostalgically on his return to Pune after a decade and shared his thoughts on the evolution of Indian football over the years.

Habas said: “The pitch was better a long time ago than it is today. Perhaps it has not had enough time for repairs since 2016.”

“But I think Pune is a city with the potential to have a team in the ISL, provided the team has the right conditions and facilities, rather than having to operate in poor conditions.”

Habas comments on the brand of football and new attacking display of East Bengal

The Spaniard stated, “We train every day, and our training sessions have to be similar to match situations and competitive scenarios. Every match should reflect what we work on in training.”

“Our players train at full intensity every day, and this is very important for achieving our goals. When you select a player for the starting eleven, the team’s overall level should not drop. The depth of the squad is important.”

“The team must continue to maintain the same level of performance. I hope we can sustain this throughout the season. However, we now have Al-Seeb to face in the AFC Champions League Two 2026–27, so our focus is on the next match.”

“The AFC Champions League Two is a different competition, but our approach to the game has to remain similar. We have to consider the squad requirements, including the rule that two under-23 players must be included in the squad. I prefer to focus on one competition at a time. Everyone is fit and available for the AFC match,” he added.

Habas hits out at Inter Kashi management over unpaid salaries

East Bengal FC head coach Antonio López Habas has finally addressed the salary-payment issues at his former club, Inter Kashi, expressing his anger at the club’s board and criticising its decision to sign 22 players despite allegedly failing to pay existing players and staff.

Habas said: “I have very fond memories of the players and support staff at Inter Kashi. I am absolutely furious with the club’s board and those who allowed it to sign 22 players without having paid the existing players and staff.”

“Many of the players and members of the coaching staff are still under contracts from last season. This is not normal.”

“I have the utmost respect for the players at Inter Kashi. It is not right that Inter Kashi can play in the ISL while members of last season’s coaching staff and some players have not received their salaries for the entire season.”

“They worked for an entire season without being paid. An entire season working for Inter Kashi without receiving their salaries. I want to see that addressed,” he concluded.

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