East Bengal will be in search of their first victory of the ongoing ISL when they take on Khalid Jamil’s Jamshedpur FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Saturday. East Bengal has endured a challenging start to their ongoing ISL campaign. After three consecutive losses, their Spanish head coach, who guided them to the Super Cup triumph—their first national trophy since 2012—parted ways with the club. With rumours swirling about his probable replacement, East Bengal’s reserve team head coach, Bino George, is currently at the helm and set to face a stern test against the Red Miners, who have won two of their first three games.
Bino George believes that small mistakes cost them in the first three games, but he remains confident that his players will give their best effort to secure the three points. “Because of some small errors, we lost the first three games. But I believe the boys know their responsibilities, and tomorrow they will give 100% to win the game,” Bino said.
East Bengal will be without Dimitrios Diamantakos and Mohammed Rakip, both sidelined due to injuries. Bino will likely turn to Cleiton Silva and Lalchungnunga as their replacements. Since the Durand Cup, East Bengal has relied on a possession-based style of football, building attacks from the backline. Saul Crespo has been the key in midfield, but he missed the last game due to dengue. The Spanish midfielder, who has been a livewire in the middle alongside Madih Talal, has trained well over the past three days and is expected to feature in the starting XI, which will be a boost for the Kolkata giants.
Defence has been a consistent concern for East Bengal, with frequent rotations in the backline across all three games. However, Bino may opt for the Anwar Ali and Hector Yuste partnership in defence against Jamshedpur, potentially benching Hijazi Maher. They will have a tough task on their hands, having to deal with Jamshedpur’s attacking trio of Jordan Murray, Javi Hernandez, and Javier Siverio, all of whom are capable of capitalizing on opportunities inside the box.
Jamshedpur’s head coach, Khalid Jamil, has downplayed suggestions of being favourites despite wins over FC Goa and Mumbai City in their first two games. He expressed disappointment with their narrow defeat to Odisha FC and emphasized the importance of working hard in this crucial fixture. “We didn’t have the best start to the season, especially in the last game, but we’re determined to improve. This time, we’ll fix the issues and give our best effort,” Jamil said in the pre-match press conference.
In addition to Jamshedpur’s potent attacking trio—Javi Hernandez (2 goals), Javier Siverio (1 goal), and Jordan Murray (2 goals)—East Bengal will also need to be wary of towering defender Stephen Eze, who has been rock-solid alongside Pratik Chowdhary so far this season. Eze’s presence will pose a strong challenge for East Bengal’s attackers.
It’s a tough test ahead for Bino George, but should he emerge victorious, a hero’s welcome will likely await him and his team back in Kolkata. On the other side, Khalid Jamil, facing his former team, will be eager to secure all three points and bounce back to winning ways.