AIFF Super Cup 2025-26: East Bengal beats Chennaiyin FC to reach top Group A

Naorem Mahesh Singh turned magician to help East Bengal beat Chennaiyin FC as the Red and Gold registered their first win in the AIFF Super Cup 2025-26 at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Tuesday.

Mahesh had scored East Bengal’s opening goal in the previous match. This time he became the orchestrator with two assists and one key pass, dismantling Chennaiyin, who were eliminated from the tournament after their second successive defeat.

Kevin Sibille opened the scoring for East Bengal, while Bipin Singh Thounaojam struck twice in six minutes to put the competition to bed before half-time. Hiroshi Ibusuki converted a late penalty to score his team’s fourth.

Earlier, Chennaiyin started the match aggressively with Farukh Choudhary testing East Bengal’s goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill in the second minute. But Oscar Bruzon’s men absorbed the pressure in the first half hour to deliver the hammer in the last ten minutes of the first half.

Mahesh sent in a cross from a free kick in the 35th minute, which was headed in by Sibille as his marker Raj Basfore stood unmoved, and Chennaiyin keeper Mohammad Nawaz was beaten at the near post.

Basfore’s nightmare continued when Bipin’s poor marking saw him latch onto Mahesh’s cross, this time from the right flank. The former Mumbai City winger tapped into the lead and doubled it in the 39th minute.

The Red and Gold Brigade continued their brutal attack. Within six minutes of the second goal, Mahesh provided a pass into the box, which was poked towards Bipin by Hamid Ahadad on his left. Bipin then smashed the ball in with his right foot, rattling the net after a touch off Nawaz.

Chennaiyin, on the other hand, looked toothless for most of the match, with Farukh being the only bright spot in an otherwise lackluster performance.

The night went from bad to worse for Chennaiyin as two first-team players – Jiteshwor Singh and Irfan Yadwad – left the field with injuries, while Ibusuki added a fourth after Edmund Lalrindika went down in the penalty area following a touch from Mandar Rao Dessai.

The win means East Bengal provisionally leads Group A with four points and has a chance of reaching the semi-finals if it can beat arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the Kolkata Derby three days later.

Bagan, who face Dempo Sports Club at the Fatorda Stadium later in the day, will be back on top if they beat the Goan club. A win against Dempo, followed by a draw in the derby, will see the Mariners through to the next round.

Published on October 28, 2025