ISL: East Bengal FC and Chennaiyin FC aim to keep top-6 ambitions alive

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], February 7 (ANI): Chennaiyin FC will take on East Bengal FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in their Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 fixture on February 8. The Marina Machans are on a seven-game-long winless run, with their last victory coming in a 1-0 triumph against Hyderabad FC on December 11, according to a release from ISL.
Since then, they have succumbed to four defeats and three draws - with the side languishing at the 11th spot in the points table, having 18 points to their name. East Bengal FC are 10th in the table with 18 points from as many games - and both these sides trail the sixth-placed Mumbai City FC (28) by 10 points with only a handful of games left to turnaround their fortunes.
East Bengal FC won the reverse fixture by 2-0 on December 7, 2024. They will be targeting three points again, which could make the Marina Machans only the third team against whom the Red & Gold Brigade complete a league double over in the ISL, after Bengaluru FC (2022-23) and Hyderabad FC (2023-24).
Chennaiyin FC have not emerged victorious against a Kolkata-based team in their last five matches this season (D2 L3). Their only longer such stretch was a nine-game-long run against teams from Kolkata (D6 L3) from March 2020-March 2022.
East Bengal FC, on the other hand, have had their issues upfront, failing to find the back of the net in seven matches this season. Only in 2021-22 did they go for more games without scoring (9). Despite their attacking struggles, East Bengal FC have been highly efficient in the second half of games this season.
A remarkable 78% of their goals this season have come after halftime (14 out of 18), the highest proportion for any team. Defensively, they conceded just 11 goals in the second half, the second lowest after Mohun Bagan Super Giant (7), which means that Chennaiyin FC will have their task cut out in not letting their guards down in the second essay of the game.
East Bengal FC's Nandhakumar Sekar has scored and assisted thrice each against Chennaiyin FC - his second-best record against any team. He is also one goal contribution away from becoming the third Red and Gold Brigade player to register 10 or more goal contributions in the competition behind Cleiton Silva - 26 and Mahesh Naorem - 18.
East Bengal FC have recorded a solitary shutout in their last six league games, which was in their goalless draw against Mumbai City FC. Overall, they have kept the third-most clean sheets (5) in the competition until now.
The Marina Machans have scored just once in their last three games. They have scored the fifth-least goals (24) in the league, as Wilmar Jordan Gil has led their charts with eight strikes and Lukas Brambilla alongside Irfan Yadwad have netted thrice each.
Chennaiyin FC average 20.8 passes per shot, the second lowest this season behind NorthEast United FC (18.5). Their forward forays need greater intensity for them to cause consistent problems to the opposition's defence.
East Bengal FC head coach Oscar Bruzon said that his team is still aiming to reach the playoffs.
"To reach the playoffs is an achievable target. However, it's difficult to do that when we lose games to begin the season. We still have six matches left, we will try to do our best, and our focus now is the next game against Chennaiyin FC," Bruzon said.
Chennaiyin FC head coach Owen Coyle insisted that his team will work towards getting positive results to sign off the season positively.
"We have players who are really good, who can help us win games. We need to finish the season strongly and ensure that we start with the game starting tomorrow against East Bengal FC," Coyle said.
In their nine matches against each other so far, East Bengal FC and Chennaiyin FC have won two games each. Five encounters have produced draws. (ANI)