SC East Bengal will play for pride when they go up against Bengaluru FC in their final game of the campaign in Match 107 of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 season at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco da Gama, Goa, on Saturday evening.

The Red and Gold Brigade will want to have an upper hand over a languished Bengaluru FC to put an end to a forgetful campaign. The Kolkata-based club failed to climb the table after sharing spoils with NorthEast United FC in their last game.

The Blues, on the other hand, were far past their best against ATK Mohun Bagan, losing the last opportunity to have a shot of being in the top four.

Form Guide

SC East Bengal: DLLLD

Rivera’s men have been winless in their last five games and would want to conclude the campaign by securing a victory in their final match. The club sits at the bottom of the league table with 11 points in 19 games.

Bengaluru FC: WLLWL

All hopes were lost for the Blues after two back-to-back losses put a dent in their pursuit of making it to the top four. Pezzaiuoli’s men are placed sixth in the league table, having collected 26 points from 19 games.

Team News

In the SC East Bengal camp, Hira Mondal, Darren Sidoel, and Rahul Paswan are unavailable for the match. Fran Sota is doubtful too and will miss out on the action.

In the Bengaluru FC camp, some players have soreness in the muscles and others still have long-term injuries. Edmund Lalrindika will travel to Bangalore due to a back injury. After the last training session, head coach Marco Pezzaiuoli will take a call on the team.

Head-To-Head

Having faced each other thrice, both sides share one win, one loss, and one draw apiece. Their last outing ended in a 1-1 draw in Match 49 earlier this season.

Key Stats

Set-Piece Mafia

Bengaluru FC have scored 19 goals from set pieces, the second highest in the league behind Jamshedpur FC’s 22. 61% of the goals scored by them are from dead-ball situations. On the other hand, SC East Bengal have scored 13 goals from set pieces in 19 games. 72% of the goals scored by SC East Bengal this season have come from set pieces. They are more reliant on set pieces for goals than any other side.

Win or lose - an unfavourable record for SC East Bengal

SC East Bengal have won just one game across this Hero ISL season, a 2-1 win over FC Goa. The least number of wins in a single season of the Hero ISL is two, shared by a number of clubs. If SC East Bengal win their last game, they will be the joint holders of this dubious record. If they fail to win in their last game, they will be the sole holder of the record for the least wins in a Hero ISL season with just one to their name in the ongoing campaign.

Key Players

SC East Bengal

Antonio Perosevic: Despite missing a chunk of games, the forward is the top scorer for the Red and Gold Brigade, bulging the net four times this season.

Lalrinliana Hnamte: The midfielder has made quite a name for himself with his defensive ability, making 47 tackles, 28 blocks, 16 interceptions, and eight clearances. Hnamte also has a goal to his tally in the offensive unit.

Bengaluru FC

Naorem Roshan Singh: The full-back has provided seven assists this season which is not just the highest among Indian players this term, but it is also the joint highest number of assists provided by an Indian player in any season of the Hero ISL along with Brandon Fernandes and Udanta Singh. Roshan has created more chances (33) this season than any other Indian player.

Cleiton Silva: In 18 matches, the Brazilian has scored nine goals for his side and provided three assists this season. No Bengaluru FC player has scored more goals or has more goal contributions than Silva.

Match Timings and Telecast Details

Match: SC East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC

Date: March 5, 2022

Venue: Tilak Maidan Stadium, Vasco da Gama, Goa

Kick-off time: 7:30pm IST

Telecast: Star Sports Network

Online Streaming: Disney+Hotstar, and JioTV