East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan has been a one-way street in the Indian Super League (ISL) so far. Ten games, nine wins, a draw for Bagan – the fans dominated the cheers and led the narrative. But the stakes remained very different this time.
The top two teams in the ISL went neck-and-neck into the match, and late fireworks from Edmund Lalrindika and Jason Cummings saw the rivals share the win in a 1-1 draw at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday.
The draw kept East Bengal at the top of the standings and forced the title-winning round to the final matchday on May 21 due to the higher goal difference.
AS IT HAPPENED | Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal Highlights
Bagan started the match aggressively, with the front four – Sahal Abdul Samad, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco and Manvir Singh – floating around the penalty area as the club dominated possession (68 percent versus 32 percent) in the opening five minutes.
At the other end, East Bengal immersed themselves in the press, fielding up to six players in defense when out of possession, and produced results – denying three clear-cut chances in the opening ten minutes. Bagan’s high line was exposed when Prabhsukhan Gill took an Alisson-like kick aimed at Vishnu.
The southern and eastern ends of the stadium, made up of fans from East Bengal, seemed to have found new life as the decibel scales shifted. But Vishnu’s delay in pulling the trigger saw Vishal Kaith put the chance to bed with the ball safely in his gloves.
However, Kaith was defeated seven minutes later when Anton Sojberg won the ball from Alberto Rodriguez and scored a left-footed goal. Time stopped for the East Bengal fans as the ball went past the Bagan goalkeeper’s gloves, but their hands went to the back of their heads as the ball rattled against the woodwork. The moment repeated itself eight minutes later, this time Bipin Singh delayed a pass to Sojberg. The fans’ sighs only grew louder.
For Bagan, Anirudh Thapa almost scored in the 24th minute, firing a half-volley on target. But Gill tackled it with the same quality to ensure the scoreboard didn’t tick.
Bagan’s coach Sergio Lobera opted to go all out in the second half, bringing on Jason Cummings, Robson Robinho and Dimitrios Petratos in the final quarter. That forced him to replace a foreign defender due to the rules of the competition, in which Mehtab Singh, one of Bagan’s weaklings at the back, entered the field.
Celebration followed Jason Cummings’ equalizer, this time at the other end. The fans in red and gold stared in disbelief. | Photo credit: PTI
Celebration followed Jason Cummings’ equalizer, this time at the other end. The fans in red and gold stared in disbelief. | Photo credit: PTI
And that change bit Bagan at the back as Edmund, receiving a pass from Miguel Figueira, beat Mehtab and then Kaith to cause delirium in the stands in East Bengal. Coach Oscar Bruzon punched the air, bumping into the fans like Jurgen Klopp, as the striker opened his shirt, placed it on a corner flag and planted it as a victory symbol.
The match was still pending.
Five minutes later, Cummings’ header rattled into the net at the other end. Celebration followed, this time on the other side. The fans in red and gold stared in disbelief. A win here would have all but sealed a title for East Bengal and their fans. Due to the draw they had to wait another round.
Jamie Maclaren could have sealed the match for Bagan in second-half stoppage time, but a crucial save from Gill ensured nothing could keep the two teams apart after 90 minutes of quality football.
East Bengal will win the title if it can win its next and final match against Inter Kashi and have a better goal difference against its arch-rivals. Bagan, on the other hand, can successfully clinch the title if East Bengal drops points against Inter Kashi or if it can beat Sporting Club Delhi and surpass its rival’s goal difference.
A draw for both teams would see Punjab versus Mumbai City decide the title winner.
Published on May 17, 2026
