Champions of India! East Bengal Formally Seal Historic Maiden ISL Title with Stunning 2-1 Comeback Over Inter Kashi

The 22-year curse is officially broken. In a dramatic final-day thriller that will be discussed for generations, Emami East Bengal rallied from behind to defeat Inter Kashi 2-1 at a rocking Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Thursday, clinching their first-ever Indian Super League (ISL) title.
​Under the shrewd guidance of head coach Oscar Bruzon, the Red-and-Gold Brigade successfully fended off fierce local rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant, securing the coveted championship on goal difference after a nerve-wracking, multi-team final matchday sequence.

Early First-Half Shockwave

​Riding on the unyielding energy of over 8,000 fans in attendance, East Bengal intended to dominate early on. Striker Youssef Ezzejjari fired a warning shot from range, and Miguel Figueira saw an acrobatic bicycle kick crucially blocked by Kashi's Narender Gahlot.

​However, disaster struck for the league leaders in the 14th minute. Inter Kashi's David Bollo sent a pinpoint aerial ball looping over the East Bengal backline.
Spaniard Alfred Planas timed his run beautifully, hitting a first-time volley directly over the onrushing keeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill to shock the stadium into absolute silence.

​As news filtered in that defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant had taken an early lead in their parallel match against SC Delhi at the Salt Lake Stadium, panic began to set in among the East Bengal faithful. The

Torchbearers created several patterns out wide via Bipin Singh and Nandhakumar Sekar, but they lacked clinical execution, heading into the halftime break trailing 1-0.

The Second-Half Resurgence

​Whatever Oscar Bruzon said in the locker room at halftime completely transformed the team's posture. The Red-and-Gold Brigade emerged for the second half with ferocious intensity, knowing that only a win would guarantee them the crown.

​The breakthrough materialized just four minutes after the restart. In the 49th minute, a defense-splitting pass from center-back Anwar Ali created severe miscommunication between the Inter Kashi defenders and goalkeeper Shubham Dhas. ISL Golden Boot winner Youssef Ezzejjari reacted quickest, intercepting the loose ball, weaving smoothly past a covering defender, and slotting it into an empty net to level the score at 1-1.

The Championship Moment

​With both Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City FC winning their respective games, the equation remained simple: East Bengal needed a winner.

​The stadium erupted into pure bedlam in the 72nd minute. Bipin Singh Thounaojam whipped a dangerous, dipping cross from the wing directly into the corridor of uncertainty. Sprinting from midfield, Palestinian international Mohammed Rashid timed his arrival perfectly, connecting cleanly to turn the ball home.

​It was Rashid's very first goal of the ISL campaign—an unforgettable milestone that ultimately served as the title-clinching strike.

Defensive Grit and Glory

​The final 15 minutes plus stoppage time tested East Bengal’s collective resolve. Inter Kashi pressed aggressively for an equalizer, creating physical, heated exchanges across the pitch. Yellow cards flew thick and fast, with Jay Gupta, Mohammed Rashid, Prabhsukhan Gill, and Nandhakumar Sekar all entering the referee's book as East Bengal aggressively broke up play.

When the referee finally blew the full-time whistle, the pitch and stands dissolved into raw emotion. After 22 long years of mismanagement, structural shifts, near-misses, and heartbreak since their 2004 National Football League triumph, East Bengal are finally back where they belong—at the absolute summit of Indian football.