Rejuvenated East Bengal FC as the Red & Gold Brigade aim for a strong start to the season against Jamshedpur FC

by FC Admin September 25, 2023

East Bengal FC will step on the field with renewed enthusiasm under the tutelage of former Indian Super League (ISL)-winning head coach Carles Cuadrat when they host their season opener against Jamshedpur FC at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on September 25, Monday.

What’s at stake?

East Bengal FC

In Cuadrat, East Bengal has got a coach who knows what it takes to taste success in the ISL. The Spaniard has inspired some prominent changes in the roster this year. His team, though, boasts of a merely 20% success rate against the Red Miners – a record that he will be keen to change in this game.

Jamshedpur FC

Jamshedpur FC will arguably need some time to settle under the stewardship of new Interim Head Coach Scott Cooper. Despite a disappointing campaign last year, they find themselves in the middle of a four-game unbeaten streak from last season, that Cooper and his men will be edging to extend for a good start to this campaign.

Key Players

Harmanjot Khabra (East Bengal FC)

Harmanjot Khabra returns to East Bengal FC after seven years and defender will be tasked with leading the backline. His vast experience of having featured in 128 ISL matches will come in handy as the team looks to spark a turnaround in their form this year.

Alen Stevanovic (Jamshedpur FC)

The Serbian attacker is a prominent addition to the Red Miners and his former experience of playing at Italian giants like Inter Milan and Torino should surely result in tangible advantages for Jamshedpur’s frontline in their first game of the campaign.

Head-to-Head

Played – 6

East Bengal FC – 2

Jamshedpur FC – 2

Draws – 2

Trivia: Jamshedpur FC won 2-1 in this fixture against the Red and the Gold Brigade last season. They can become the first team to register consecutive away victories against East Bengal FC with a win in the upcoming game.

Team Talk

“Of course, we don’t have a lot of information about them because they haven’t been playing any official match until now. But, it’s not an excuse. We have to prepare for the match. We have to make our plans. We have to try to make a good game and get the first victory of our season. We have to work and we have to make a good plan to try to beat them,” East Bengal FC head coach Cuadrat touched upon coming up against a new look Jamshedpur FC as the Red Miners had fielded a second-string side in the Durand Cup prior to the ISL.

“We have done our homework. We know they have a very good coach – a coach that has done very well in the ISL. He made strides at Bengaluru. He made some notable achievements that haven’t been surpassed still, so you have to respect that work. We know it’s a big club steeped in history with a lot of good players. We know teams that have home at Kolkata are formidable opponents. We are under no illusions that this is going to be anything else than a very tough game against a very good coach and very good players,” Jamshedpur FC interim coach Scott Cooper assessed the Red and Gold Brigade ahead of their faceoff.

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