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East Bengal Secures 4-0 Win Against Chennaiyin FC:
East Bengal triumphed over Chennaiyin FC with a score of 4-0 in the AIFF Super Cup Group A match. Chennaiyin FC had previously suffered a 0-2 defeat against Mohun Bagan. Following two consecutive losses, Chennaiyin FC’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals have been extinguished.
East Bengal’s starting XI:
In this crucial match, East Bengal’s coach Óscar Bruzón included Miguel Figueira in the starting lineup. The starting eleven for East Bengal in this match consisted of: Prabhsukhan Singh Gill; Anwar Ali, Kevin Sibille, Mohammad Rakip, Jay Guptaa; Naorem Mahesh Singh, Saúl Crespo, Bipin Singh, Mohammed Rashid; Miguel Figueira and Hamid Ahadad.
First half highlights:
Chennaiyin FC began the first half with an aggressive approach. In the second minute, Farukh Choudhary of Chennaiyin FC penetrated the penalty box and took a powerful shot, but East Bengal’s goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill made an excellent save.
Following this, East Bengal gradually took control of the match. However, they had to wait until the 35th minute to score. East Bengal earned a free kick on the left side of the field in Chennaiyin FC’s territory. Kevin Sibille scored with a header from a well-placed free-kick by Naorem Mahesh Singh.
East Bengal netted their second goal in the 39th minute. Naorem Mahesh Singh delivered a low cross into the penalty area from the right, which Bipin Singh converted with a superb finish.
East Bengal added another goal before the first half concluded. Once again, Bipin Singh was the scorer. In the first minute of stoppage time, Naorem Mahesh Singh executed a brilliant through ball into the Chennaiyin FC box, and Bipin Singh capitalized on it to score. Chennaiyin FC’s goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz attempted to make a save but was unable to do so.
At the end of the first half, the score stood at East Bengal 3 – Chennaiyin FC 0.
Second half highlights:
East Bengal adjusted their strategy slightly in the second half. Rather than maintaining an overly aggressive approach, they opted to moderate the game’s tempo and focus on counterattacks. Conversely, Chennaiyin FC struggled to exert pressure on East Bengal’s defense, even though they held possession for the majority of the second half.
Meanwhile, Naorem Mahesh Singh had an opportunity to score for East Bengal in the 57th minute. Naorem Mahesh Singh received a pass from Bipin Singh and attempted a shot from outside the box, but Chennaiyin FC’s goalkeeper, Mohammad Nawaz, successfully saved it.
Following the cooling break in the second half, East Bengal’s coach, Óscar Bruzón, implemented a few tactical changes in quick succession. In the 85th minute, Hiroshi Ibusuki took a shot from outside the box, which unfortunately struck the crossbar. Ibusuki had replaced Hamid Ahadad earlier.
In the stoppage time of the second half, Edmund Lalrindika was fouled in the box by Mandar Rao Desai of Chennaiyin FC. Lalrindika had also come on as a substitute. The referee awarded a penalty, which Hiroshi Ibusuki converted, scoring East Bengal’s fourth goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time. This marked Ibusuki’s first goal for East Bengal.
East Bengal, who maintained control throughout the match, triumphed over Chennaiyin FC with a score of 4-0. Key players for East Bengal included Bipin Singh and Naorem Mahesh Singh, with Bipin scoring two goals and Naorem providing three assists.
East Bengal moved to the top of Group A:
With this victory, East Bengal ascended to the top of Group A’s points table, accumulating 4 points from 2 matches. They are set to face Mohun Bagan in their final group match. A win in that match would secure their place in the semi-finals. Even a draw would likely suffice for East Bengal to advance, given their current goal difference of 4, which is superior to that of any other team in the group.
I have uploaded a video on YouTube related to the topic discussed in this blog, and you can find the link to that video here: