East Bengal seal ISL title on final match day; Mohun Bagan’s treble dream falls short

East Bengal ended their six-year wait for Indian Super League glory after defeating Inter Kashi 2-1 in a dramatic final round of league fixtures to be crowned the ISL champions.

The title triumph marks East Bengal’s first top-division league crown in 22 years and the first since joining ISL in the 2020-21 season. The Kolkata giants finished level on 26 points with arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant, but edged ahead on goal difference to deny Bagan a third consecutive ISL Shield.

Inter Kashi struck first in the 14th minute through Alfred Planas, putting pressure on East Bengal in a tense contest. However, the Red and Gold Brigade responded strongly in the second half, with Youssef Ezzejjari equalising in the 49th minute before Mohammed Rashid netted the winner in the 72nd minute to spark celebrations among the East Bengal faithful.

Heading into the final matchday, both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan were tied on 23 points, setting up a thrilling finish to the season. Mohun Bagan did their part by securing a 2-1 victory over SC Delhi, thanks to goals from Manvir Singh and Jamie Maclaren, while Clarence Fernandes scored the lone goal for Delhi. But despite the win, Bagan’s inferior goal difference proved costly.

Mohun Bagan had entered the season as defending ISL Shield winners, having lifted the trophy in each of the previous two campaigns.

Elsewhere, Mumbai City FC defeated Punjab FC to finish third in the standings with 25 points, just one behind the top two sides.

This season also marked a historic moment for the ISL, with relegation being introduced for the first time. Mohammedan Sporting Club finished bottom of the table with just three points, becoming the first club to be relegated from the ISL.

Earlier, Kerala Blasters ended their campaign on a positive note by defeating FC Goa in their final league game to finish eighth with 17 points. The Blasters endured a difficult season marked by a string of defeats before appointing Ashley Westwood as head coach. Under him, the club managed back-to-back wins and showed signs of revival towards the end of the campaign.