East Bengal FC continued their strong form with a commanding 3-1 win over Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday. This Indian Super League 2024-25 victory extended their unbeaten away streak to three games, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.
Diamantakos Opens the Scoring Early
Right from the start, East Bengal pushed forward aggressively, attacking from the left flank. In the 15th minute, Dimitrios Diamantakos broke the deadlock. He fired a low shot from the left, which unexpectedly slipped through goalkeeper Ravi Kumar’s legs. As a result, East Bengal took an early lead. Notably, this was their first goal in the opening 15 minutes of a match this season. Moreover, Diamantakos ended his nine-game goal drought, scoring for the first time since their December victory over Jamshedpur FC.
Later, in the 44th minute, Diamantakos had another chance. Raphael Messi Bouli sent in a low cross after skillfully beating his marker. However, just before he could shoot, Punjab’s Ivan Novoselec stepped in and cleared the danger.
Quick Goals in the Second Half Strengthen Lead
At halftime, East Bengal’s head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis made two attacking substitutions. He brought in Luka Majcen and Nihal Sudeesh, replacing Asmir Suljic and Asish Pradhan.
Soon after, in the 47th minute, East Bengal doubled their lead. Messi Bouli set up Vishnu with a cross after a long throw-in. While a defender blocked Vishnu’s shot, the ball landed perfectly for Mahesh, who calmly slotted it into the net.
Then, just seven minutes later, East Bengal struck again. Following a corner from Mahesh, goalkeeper Ravi Kumar managed to punch the ball away. However, Punjab’s defenders failed to clear the ball properly. In the resulting chaos, Lalchungnunga took advantage and smashed the ball into the bottom corner, extending the lead to 3-0.
Punjab FC Responds but Falls Short
In the 61st minute, Punjab nearly pulled one back. Khaiminthang Lhungdim delivered a long pass to Majcen, who directed a powerful header toward goal. However, goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill reacted swiftly and made an excellent save.
A minute later, Punjab finally found a breakthrough. A deflected cross bounced dangerously near East Bengal’s box. Without hesitation, Vidal seized the moment and volleyed the ball into the top corner. His stunning strike left both Gill and the defenders with no chance. Nevertheless, despite this goal, Punjab struggled to create more chances and ultimately suffered their 11th defeat of the season.
Messi Bouli’s Impactful Performance
Undoubtedly, Raphael Messi Bouli was East Bengal’s standout player of the night. He played a crucial role in all three goals, proving his attacking prowess. Additionally, he created three goal-scoring chances, delivered five precise crosses, and completed 19 of his 28 attempted passes.
East Bengal’s Playoff Hopes Still Alive
With this victory, East Bengal now stands in 10th place with 24 points from 21 matches. Meanwhile, Punjab FC has dropped to 11th place with the same points. However, both teams remain eight points behind sixth-placed Mumbai City FC, with just three matches remaining.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, Punjab FC will host FC Goa on February 27, while East Bengal FC will return home to face Hyderabad FC on February 26.
