How Can East Bengal and Mohun Bagan win ISL Title After 11 Draw In Kolkata Derby? Photo: ISL media
The iconic Salt Lake Stadium witnessed another chapter of pure drama as the latest Kolkata Derby between East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant ended in a pulsating 1-1 draw. After substitute Edmund Lalrindika broke the deadlock for East Bengal in the 85th minute, Mohun Bagan fired back via Jason Cummings’ stoppage-time equalizer.
The stalemate leaves the Indian Super League (ISL) Shield race on a knife-edge. With both heavyweights tied at 23 points from 12 matches, the final stretch of the league stage promises a photo finish. Here is how both Kolkata giants can still lift the coveted ISL League Winners Shield.
| Position | Team | Matches | Goal Difference (GD) | Points |
| 1st | East Bengal | 12 | +18 | 23 |
| 2nd | Mohun Bagan SG | 12 | +13 | 23 |
The iconic Salt Lake Stadium witnessed another chapter of pure drama as the latest Kolkata Derby between East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant ended in a pulsating 1-1 draw. After substitute Edmund Lalrindika broke the deadlock for East Bengal in the 85th minute, Mohun Bagan fired back via Jason Cummings’ stoppage-time equalizer.
The stalemate leaves the Indian Super League (ISL) Shield race on a knife-edge. With both heavyweights tied at 23 points from 12 matches, the final stretch of the league stage promises a photo finish. Here is how both Kolkata giants can still lift the coveted ISL League Winners Shield.
East Bengal currently sits in the driver’s seat. Their staggering +18 goal difference gives them a distinct psychological and mathematical cushion over their fierce rivals.
The Direct Route: East Bengal face Inter Kashi in their final league match. A straight victory puts them at 26 points. If they win, they will clinch the ISL crown as long as Mohun Bagan fail to overturn the current 5-goal deficit in the goal-difference equation.
The Draw Scenario: If East Bengal draw their final game, they will finish on 24 points. They can still win the title if Mohun Bagan drop points or lose.
Key Factor: Clinical finishing in the final match is paramount. If East Bengal secure a high-scoring victory, it will mathematically seal the title by making their goal-difference advantage virtually unassailable.
Mohun Bagan’s late equalizer preserved their title ambitions, but they remain at a slight disadvantage due to a lesser goal difference (+13).
The Goal-Fest Route: To win the league, the Mariners must win their final match and aggressively hunt for goals. If East Bengal win by a narrow 1-0 margin, Mohun Bagan must win their match by a margin large enough to clear the 5-goal gap.
The Slip-Up Route: If Mohun Bagan win their final fixture and East Bengal draw or lose against Inter Kashi, the Mariners will cleanly secure the title on outright points (26) without needing to worry about tie-breakers.
With lurking contenders like Mumbai City FC and Punjab FC waiting to capitalize on any mistakes, neither Kolkata giant has any margin for error. The 1-1 draw kept bragging rights shared, but the race to the ISL podium will come down to who blinks first in the final Matchweek.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
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