ISL 2024-25: East Bengal become Second Team to Lose First 5 ISL matches after Kolkata Derby Defeat

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In the first Kolkata derby of ISL 2024-25, East Bengal suffered a 0-2 loss against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on October 19 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. With this loss, the Red and Gold Brigade became the second team since NorthEast United to lose the first five league games in the ISL.

East Bengal's league journey has been nightmarish, with the historic club losing all of their five matches in the ISL so far.

The club began their ISL journey with a narrow 0-1 loss against Bengaluru FC, but their season only went downhill from there. They suffered another narrow 1-2 loss to Kerala Blasters FC followed by a 2-3 defeat to FC Goa. In their fourth league game, Jamshedpur handed a 0-2 defeat to the Torchbearers.

The Torch bearers were looking to turn their season around in the crunch match against their cross-city rivals on Saturday, but ultimately fell prey to Mohun Bagan's clinical attacking prowess, losing their fifth consecutive ISL game.

After a free-flowing display of football between the two teams, Jamie Maclaren handed his side a lead just before half time, coolly slotting home after a wonderful cross from Manvir Singh.

Dimitri Petratos doubled Mohun Bagan's lead in the final minute of normal time, scoring from the spot in a cagey second half of little chances for both teams. The second goal effectively killed the game for East Bengal, who were increasingly mounting pressure on their opponent's goal towards the end of the game.

After a fifth consecutive loss at the hands of their bitter rivals, East Bengal's dismal league record has brought to mind NorthEast United's campaign in the 2022-23 season, where the Highlanders lost their first 10 matches, winning only one game throughout the entire season.

The fans of the Red and Gold brigade will hope that their own club's record this season will not be remote similar to NorthEast United's precedence, and the team will look to bounce back with a better result against Odisha FC on October 22.