East Bengal FC will look to continue its winning momentum when it hosts a strong Bengaluru FC in an ISL-12 fixture at the Salt Lake Stadium on Thursday.

East Bengal heads into the contest high on confidence after a convincing 3-1 away win over Chennaiyin FC. The Kolkata giant will aim to build on that performance and secure another positive result at home to bolster its title chances.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru FC will be eager to bounce back after suffering a defeat to Kerala Blasters FC in its previous outing. That loss halted its recent progress, and the team will now be targeting crucial points to get back in the championship race.

Both sides are currently level on 14 points, but East Bengal holds a slight edge in fourth place due to a superior goal difference. Bengaluru, having played one match more (eight compared to East Bengal’s seven), faces added pressure to deliver in this encounter.

East Bengal head coach Oscar Bruzon expressed confidence in his team’s current form, stating that they are performing well across all key parameters.“We are where we want to be. I think the season so far has been very positive. The numbers, metrics, and all the parameters we evaluate are encouraging. We are the team scoring the most goals and also the side conceding the fewest,” Bruzon said, reflecting on his team’s strong response winning two successive matches after a phase that included a defeat and two draws. “It is a game that we can win and consolidate our position at the top of the table,” he added.

East Bengal FC will miss the services of an injured Naorem Mahesh Singh in attack. The Red and Gold Brigade will now need to find the right replacement to retain the edge in the creative zone, an area where Mahesh has been crucial with his incisive runs down the wings.

A major boost for Bengaluru FC comes from the availability of Argentine playmaker Braian Sanchez, whose suspension was revoked after the All India Football Federation disciplinary committee downgraded his red card (that he collected against Blasters) to a yellow. His presence could prove crucial in midfield as Bengaluru looks to go full steam for the maximum quota of points.

“It should be an attractive contest. It will come down to who controls possession better, who creates more chances, and most importantly, who takes those chances and scores. Playing away, it is important for us to stay solid at the back, but we also need to be proactive, create opportunities and try to score goals. We have to remain compact and competitive throughout the game,” Bengaluru head coach Pep Munoz said ahead of the crucial encounter.

Published on Apr 15, 2026