ISL: Searching for late-season form, Punjab FC, and East Bengal FC aim for maximum points and luck, with four games left to play

New Delhi [India], February 21 (ANI): East Bengal FC are set to play Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Saturday, at 5:00 pm IST, as per an ISL press release.
This is an important match for Punjab FC, who have 24 points from 20 games and are a fair seven points away from sixth-placed Bengaluru FC (31). The Panagiotis Dilmperis-coached side has lost thrice and won once in their last five games, but they can still hope to make a last-mile charge for playoff qualification.
Punjab FC have netted multiple times in each of their last two ISL games against East Bengal FC. However, they have never managed to score two or more goals in three consecutive matches against a single opponent in the competition. They will want to snap the sequence of not scoring from a corner this season before the campaign wraps up too.
The Kolkata-based team have 21 points from 20 games and are 11th in the standings. Their preceding five clashes have seen them win twice and draw once. Trailing the Blues by 10 points, East Bengal FC will have to bank on a host of results to fall in their favour from hereon, but the best they could do is to take care of the controllable and a victory here could propel them to do so.
Punjab FC have lost each of their last three ISL games against Kolkata-based teams, including a 2-4 defeat to East Bengal FC on December 17, 2024.
Only against Mohun Bagan Super Giant have Punjab FC conceded three or more strikes in consecutive ISL games. Their aforementioned setback against East Bengal FC earlier this season means that the team will want to avoid replicating this record in front of the Mariners' arch-rivals.
East Bengal FC is unbeaten in its last two away games in the ISL (W1 D1). The only time it had a longer streak was a stretch of three consecutive draws between November 2023 and February 2024.
East Bengal FC notched a 3-1 victory over Mohammedan SC in their most recent fixture, with Raphael Messi Bouli creating six chances and registering an assist. The forward has already won 12 duels and will be eager to deliver another impactful outing.
In their three matches so far, East Bengal FC and Punjab FC have each won once, whereas one match has been drawn.
Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis asserted that his team is setting themselves up as per the demands of every approaching game.
"As coaches, our job is to arrange our teams technically and tactically as per the opposition we are facing. We know our matches beforehand, and we plan our gameplay accordingly," Panagiotis Dilmperis said, as quoted by an ISL press release.
East Bengal FC head coach Oscar Bruzon said that his team is focusing on the forthcoming fixture and not necessarily on where they would finish in the points table.
"In the ISL, I always prefer to think about the game right ahead of us and not too far ahead. Hence, I'm all focused on the coming match," Oscar Bruzon said.
Punjab FC's Muhammad Suhail made seven crosses after coming off the bench in Punjab FC's recent 1-2 defeat to Chennaiyin FC on February 15. He has won 40 duels and created eight goal-scoring chances in nine appearances this season.
Punjab FC's Nikhil Prabhu and Tekcham Singh are the top two players in the league for interceptions per game, averaging 3.0 and 2.2, respectively. Prabhu has recorded 4+ interceptions in seven matches this season, the most by any player.
David Lalhlansanga and Vishnu Puthiya have each scored four goals in ISL 2024-25. A strike in this match would see them equal Nandhakumar Sekar's record of five goals - the most by an Indian player in a single ISL season for the team. (ANI)