Jamshedpur FC Clinches Victory Over East Bengal FC in Thrilling ISL Match
Match Overview
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], February 27: In a thrilling encounter at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Jamshedpur FC staged a remarkable comeback to defeat East Bengal FC 2-1 in Match 16 of the Indian Super League 2025-26 season. Substitute Rei Tachikawa scored a late goal to secure the win for Jamshedpur, marking their third consecutive victory and temporarily placing them at the top of the league table with nine points from three matches. East Bengal, on the other hand, faced their first defeat of the season, remaining at six points.
Stephen Eze was named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance.
Team Changes and Match Dynamics
East Bengal's head coach Oscar Bruzon made a single change to his starting lineup, bringing in Anton Sjøberg for Nandha Kumar. Jamshedpur FC's Owen Coyle also opted for one alteration, starting Vincy Barretto in place of Ritwik Kumar Das.
The match kicked off with both teams eager to establish dominance. East Bengal's left-back Jay Gupta nearly scored in the third minute, heading over from a Miguel Figueira set-piece. Jamshedpur quickly responded, with Raphael Bouli finding the net, only for the goal to be disallowed due to offside. Bouli was caught offside twice early on as East Bengal maintained a solid defensive structure.
First Half Highlights
Vincy Barretto posed a constant threat on the right flank, forcing a save from East Bengal's goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill. Jamshedpur's Madih Talal also had a long-range shot blocked by defender Anwar Ali. East Bengal looked dangerous from set-pieces, with both Anwar and Sjøberg coming close with headers.
Despite Jamshedpur's pressure, East Bengal broke the deadlock in the 40th minute. A throw-in led to Bipin Singh's cross, where Edmund Lalrindika skillfully lost his marker and finished with a right-footed shot into the bottom-left corner, beating Albino Gomes.
Miguel Figueira nearly extended the lead before halftime, while Youssef Ezzejjari's header from a corner went narrowly over, leaving East Bengal with a slim 1-0 advantage at the break.
Second Half Action
Jamshedpur emerged from halftime with renewed vigor. Bouli's header in the 55th minute was spectacularly saved by Gill, followed by Talal's free-kick that tested the East Bengal keeper again. The pressure paid off in the 61st minute when Stephen Eze met Nikola Stojanovic's corner with a powerful header, leveling the match at 1-1.
As the match progressed, both teams sought a winning goal. Bipin Singh and Jay tested Gomes, while Bruzon made substitutions in the 69th minute to add fresh energy to his attack. However, Jamshedpur's defense remained resolute.
Decisive Moments
Coyle's substitution in the 84th minute proved crucial as Rei Tachikawa made an immediate impact. In the 87th minute, Tachikawa initiated a move, combining with Mohammed Sanan before executing a clever one-two with Madih Talal. The Japanese midfielder then curled a stunning right-footed shot from the left side of the box into the top right corner, giving Jamshedpur a 2-1 lead.
East Bengal pushed for an equalizer during stoppage time, with Anwar Ali's header saved by Gomes and Vishnu Puthiya firing wide with the goalkeeper off his line. However, Jamshedpur managed to hold on to their lead, securing three valuable points.