East Bengal kicked off their second game of the 2025/26 ISL season at home at the Salt Lake Stadium, hosting SC Delhi in an early kickoff. The Red and Gold Brigade once again produced an impressive & commanding display, earning all three points.
Despite Tomasz Tchorz’s squad gaining the lead early in the first half thanks to a goal from Augustine, the hosts came back and swiftly erased the deficit, scoring three times before the halftime whistle. Edmund scored the equalizer, and in-form Ezzejjari netted twice during the first half to give East Bengal a 3-1 advantage at the halftime.
SC Delhi came out firing in the second half, creating a couple of excellent opportunities but failing to score. Despite the two-goal lead, East Bengal appeared to be on top of their game and threatening in every quick transition. Miguel scored a fourth in second-half stoppage time to give East Bengal a commanding 4-1 victory at home.
One coach entered the changing room overjoyed, while the other returned with an array of questions. Here are our three key takeaways learnt from the game.
Ezzejjari x Miguel: A special duo in the making
For years, East Bengal FC has struggled to identify an elite duo of an offensive midfielder and striker capable of dominating opponents, creating chances, and scoring goals on a continuous basis. Last season, they believed Madih Talal and Diamantakos were that pair, but they failed due to injuries and other factors.
This season, however, Miguel Figueira and Youssef Ezzejjari have proven to be a formidable pair in front of goal. Miguel, the Brazilian midfielder, appears to be loving his game since all of his actions on field are turning out to be successful. A goal, an assist, 3 shots on target with one hitting the woodwork, 3 big chances created, 6 key passes, 9 defensive contributions, Miguel did everything and was everywhere.
He had a keen eye with passes towards Youssef Ezzejjari. The Spanish striker produced yet again tonight, scoring a brace against SC Delhi. With this brace, he currently has four goals in two games in the 2025/26 ISL. Despite his goals and exquisite finishes, he still misses a few key opportunities, and one can only anticipate that he gets better as the season develops.
Tomasz Tchorz must fix his defense!
Two games in the 2025/26 ISL, two losses for newly re-branded Sporting Club Delhi. Taking the 2025/26 AIFF Super Cup into consideration, Tomasz Tchorz’s record as the head coach is four loses in five. In those five games, they’ve surrendered 15 goals, averaging a whopping three per game.
While their attack appears threatening, their defense is quite worrying. They lack a proper leader at the back. Vishal Yadav appears all over the place, Riberio is fine, Clarence seems good at times but lacks concentration throughout the 90 minutes, Len Gogou lacks ISL experience, and Manoj Mohammed seems average at best.
The team currently sits last in the league, trailing behind the all-Indian Mohammedan SC. Tomasz must make adjustments or he risks losing his job. Defense changes are required: Nora Fernandes and Ashuthosh Mehta must both start. And keeping Alex Saji as an unused substitute in both games makes no sense. Hopefully, adjustments are made and things will improve soon for SC Delhi.
Defense needs to step-up for East Bengal
While the midfield is steady and the offense is devastating, East Bengal’s defense seems to be quite fragile. Despite Kevin Sibille’s injury, they have enough solid players on their defensive front. And it appears that the individual strengths of these defenders are not functioning together as a team.
The opening goal appeared to be quite soft, as SC Delhi’s first counterattack ended in a goal with Jay Gupta at fault. There were a few more occasions throughout the game where they caused their own issues through miscommunication, primarily during set-pieces.
While everyone is aware of Chungnunga, Jeakson, Anwar, and Jay Gupta’s brilliance and ability, Oscar Bruzon must find a method of setting up his team so that they give less opportunities, as opponents such as Mohun Bagan or Mumbai City may take advantage of them in future matches.
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