Mohamad Rakip of East Bengal FC during match 39 of INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE played between East Bengal FC and Mohammedan SC at VYBK in Kolkata on 23rd March 2026. Photo:Santanu Biswas /Focus Sports/ ISL
East Bengal FC – 7 (Anwar Ali 6′ and 79′; Youssef Ezzejjari 14’ (P) and 54’ (P); Saúl Crespo 38’ (P); PV Vishnu 75′; and Nandha Kumar 90’+6) / Mohammedan SC – 0
Kolkata, Monday, March 23, 2026: East Bengal FC delivered a historic performance in the Kolkata derby, defeating Mohammedan Sporting Club 7-0 in Indian Super League 2025-26 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Monday. This emphatic win marks the largest victory margin in history between the two sides and is also the joint highest in ISL history, equalling FC Goa’s 7-0 win over Mumbai City FC in 2015. The result saw the Red and Gold Brigade climb to fourth in the standings with 11 points from six matches, while Mohammedan SC remained near the bottom, without opening their account in five matches. Anwar Ali was adjudged the Player of the Match for his commanding display, including a brace.
East Bengal made a blistering start, asserting dominance in the opening minutes. Their early pressure paid off in the sixth minute, when center-back Anwar Ali unleashed a long-range, left-footed strike from the left flank. Mohammedan keeper Padam Chettri missed the ball, and it found the bottom-right corner, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. The advantage was doubled in the 14th minute after a foul inside the box by left back Sajjad Hussain on Miguel Figueira, which resulted in a penalty. Youssef Ezzejjari confidently converted the penalty, increasing the score to 2-0. The hosts continued to press forward, with Edmund Lalrindika testing Padam midway through the half. In the 29th minute, Mohammedan had a rare opportunity, but Prabhsukhan Gill comfortably saved Md Fardin’s shot.
The game tilted further in East Bengal’s favour when Mohammedan right back Joseph Lalmuanawma was sent off for a second yellow card after conceding a second penalty. In the 38th minute, Captain Saúl Crespo successfully converted the penalty, increasing the lead to 3-0. East Bengal nearly added a fourth before the break when their left back, PV Vishnu, struck the crossbar, as the hosts carried a commanding 3-0 lead into half-time. The second half followed a similar pattern, with East Bengal dominating proceedings. In the 54th minute, Ezzejjari converted his second penalty of the match, marking the first instance of a team scoring three penalties in a single ISL match after Miguel Figueira was brought down inside the box by Padam.
Despite their reduction to ten men, Mohammedan made an effort to respond, but Juwel Mazumder missed a close-range opportunity in the 68th minute. At the other end, East Bengal continued to create chances, with midfielder Lalhlansanga heading narrowly wide from an Anwar Ali delivery. The fifth goal arrived in the 75th minute, when PV Vishnu finished from close range, following a corner to further extend the lead. East Bengal added a sixth just four minutes later, with Anwar Ali grabbing his second of the night with a composed left-footed finish from inside the box after being set up by Mahesh Naorem. The hosts capped off a remarkable performance deep into stoppage time, as substitute Nandha Kumar made it 7-0 in the sixth minute of additional time with a clinical finish to confirm a comprehensive 7-0 victory, as they emphatically secured three points in the Kolkata derby. The ISL 2025-26 season resumes on April 3, 2026, following the international break, with Mehrajuddin Wadoo’s side travelling to New Delhi to face Punjab FC, who are currently seventh on the table with eight points and a game in hand.
