ISL 2025-26: East Bengal sees turnaround in Kolkata Derby match against Mohammedan Sporting

East Bengal FC will look to rediscover its winning touch when it hosts city rivals Mohammedan Sporting in a 2025-2026 Indian Super League match at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday.

With both sides struggling for consistency, the mini derby offers a crucial opportunity to change the momentum mid-season.

East Bengal started their campaign on a high note but have since lost steam and lost valuable points in recent outings. A defeat against Jamshedpur FC was followed by draws against FC Goa and Kerala Blasters FC, raising concerns about the team’s ability to deliver on the early promise it showed with back-to-back wins at the start.

Head coach Oscar Bruzon now faces the task of restoring confidence, especially in defence, where mistakes have proven costly, and in attack, where the team has no lead in the final third. With the competition approaching the halfway point, East Bengal cannot afford any further mistakes at home if they hope to stay in contention.

Bruzon has stressed the importance of not underestimating the opponent, especially after Kerala Blasters held his side despite arriving without a point. East Bengal are yet to play an away match, making the home performance even more important in shaping the campaign.

«Mohammedan SC is a team that will do everything to try and get their first point. I know they will come determined to neutralize our strengths, so we attach a lot of importance to the match,» he said. Looking back on the previous performance, Bruzon admitted that facing a scoreless opponent can be difficult.

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«We have the experience of last week when Kerala Blasters came here with zero points and gave us a difficult night. The motivation is no different from previous matches. We want to stay in the mix and close the gap with the top of the table. One or two wins can quickly move teams up or down, so this is a big opportunity for us,» he added.

For Mohammedan Sporting the situation is more urgent. Under head coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo, the team is still looking for the first point after four defeats in a row.

Adding to the challenge is a transfer restriction that leaves an all-Indian squad, limiting options against more balanced opponents. However, there are signs of gradual improvement and Wadoo hopes his players can translate their efforts into tangible results.

With relegation reinstated this season, every point has added significance for Mohammedan Sporting, making this derby a potential turning point. Wadoo struck a cautiously optimistic tone prior to the collision.

“We keep improving every match, but we need points to survive,” he said, underscoring his side’s pressure to achieve results. “On the other hand, East Bengal FC may not have achieved satisfactory results in recent times, but they will also be looking for points for a turnaround,” he added, setting the tone for a closely contested match.

Published on March 22, 2026