East Bengal vs Chennaiyin: Can Fowler's team secure first ISL win today?

After a much needed two-day Christmas break, SC East Bengal will take on in-form two-time ISL champions Chennaiyin FC in the Hero Indian Super League today. Robbie Fowler’s side is yet to grab three full points in Hero ISL 2020-21. The Kolkata giant is languishing at the bottom of the table with 2 draws and 4 losses. Despite having just 2 points after 6 games, Fowler is hopeful.
 
“…The motivation is there. I have said it before we are not a million miles away. Okay, we have not won a game; we have lost one in (last) three games now. The tide is turning. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. Everyone here is 120% behind me in terms of what we are trying to achieve,” Fowler said.

 
Fowler has reasons to be positive. The last two games have seen the Bengal side play better football, and in the match against Kerala, it was the injury time goal by Jeakson Singh that denied them their first three points.
 

Indian players' performances have been disappointing for the team and if reports are to be believed, 9 Indian players will be shown the door in the January transfer window. According to reports, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, CK Vineeth, Abhishek Ambekar, Balwant Singh, Gurtej Singh, Rafique Ali Sardar, Samad Ali Mallick, Abhishek Ambekar, Mohammed Irshad and Anil Chavan are the nine players who will be loaned out.

 
East Bengal will be depending on its foreign recruits, Jacques Maghoma, Anthony Pilkington, Scott Neville, and Matti Steinmann for the first three points of the season on Saturday.
 
Chennaiyin defeated FC Goa in the previous match and is the clear favourite to win the match. However, the Marina Machans did not have a start to the season they would have liked. In the 6 matches they have played till now, the team has only managed two victories. With their star player Rafael Crivellaro getting back to form, head coach Csaba Laszlo will be under pressure to deliver a victory.

SC East Bengal
 
Goalkeepers: Debjit Majumder, Sankar Roy, Mirshad Michu, Rafique Ali
 
Defenders: Samad Mallick, Abhishek Ambekar, Daniel Fox, Scott Neville, Narayan Das, Mohamed Irshad, Gurtej Singh, N Rohen Singh, Lalramchullova, Rana Gharami, Anil Chawan
 
Midfielders: Sehnaj Singh, Matti Steinmann, Jacques Maghoma, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Wahengbam Luwang, Bikash Jairu, Yumnam Singh, Surchandra Singh, Loken Meitei, Mohammed Rafique, Aaron Amadi-Holloway, Anthony Pilkington, Milan Singh, Haobam Singh
 
Forwards: Balwant Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua, CK Vineeth, Girik Khosla, Harmanpreet Singh
 
Chennaiyin FC
 
Goalkeepers: Revanth BY, Vishal Kaith, Karanjit Singh, Samik Mitra
 
Defenders: Lalchhuanmawia Fanai, Enes Sipovic, Reagan Singh, Eli Sabia, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Remi, Balaji Ganesan, Aqib Nawab, Deepak Tangri

 
Midfielders: Fatkhulo Fatkhuloev, Thoi Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Memo Moura, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Rafael Crivellaro, Abhijit Sarkar, Pandiyan Sinivasan, Germanpreet Singh, Dhanpal Ganesh, Edwin Vanspaul
 
Forwards: Jakub Sylvestr, Aman Chetri, Rahim Ali, Esmael Goncalves
 
Live broadcast details
 
SC East Bengal vs Chennaiyin FC match will start at 7:30 PM IST
 
The match will be live on Star Sports Network. Online streaming will be available on Disney+Hotstar and Jio TV
 
Venue: Tilak Maidan