East Bengal suffers first league defeat, conceding eight goals against Chennai

East Bengal FC tasted defeat for the first time in the 2026‑27 ISL season after a high‑octane encounter with Chennai FC ended 5‑3 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The Bengal side, who had managed only a single goal in their campaign until this match, found themselves on the wrong side of eight total goals.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 29th minute through Luka, but the lead was short‑lived. Chennai's Brandon Fernandes struck twice before the break, and Ramesh Tanke added a penalty to make it 2‑1 at halftime. The second half turned disastrous when Irfan Yadavad netted twice, pushing the score to 5‑2.

East Bengal managed to pull one back via a penalty from Dhaniram Rajesh in the 47th minute and later added a consolation goal in stoppage time from David Lalhansasanga, but the damage was already done. The defeat marks a crucial turning point for the club, with head coach Antonio Lopez Hubas expected to reassess tactics ahead of the next round.