East Bengal FC produced a ruthless 4-0 victory over Churchill Brothers in the Indian Super League on 18 October 2026, extending their strong run and underlining their title credentials.

Match overview

East Bengal dominated from the first whistle and took the lead in the ninth minute when Cleiton Silva reacted fastest to a rebound and smashed the ball into the roof of the net. The visitors doubled their advantage in the 38th minute through Naorem Mahesh Singh, who cut inside from the left and curled a fine finish into the far corner.

Churchill Brothers' hopes of a comeback were effectively ended in the 52nd minute when their central defender was shown a second yellow card. East Bengal capitalised on the numerical advantage, with Cleiton Silva adding his second of the night in the 64th minute before Dimitrios Diamantakos completed the scoring with a close-range header in the 81st minute.

Key moments

• 9' — East Bengal take the lead: Cleiton Silva pounces on a parried shot and fires high into the net.
• 38' — Mahesh Singh doubles the lead: A trademark curler from the left wing finds the bottom corner.
• 52' — Churchill down to 10 men: A second booking for the centre-back leaves the hosts with an uphill task.
• 64' — Cleiton Silva's second: The striker converts a low cross from close range.
• 81' — Diamantakos completes the rout: A pinpoint cross is headed home from six yards.

Tactical story

East Bengal's high press forced Churchill Brothers into repeated mistakes at the back, and their wide players consistently found space behind the full-backs. Once Churchill went down to 10 men, East Bengal controlled the tempo and created chances at will. Churchill, meanwhile, struggled to string passes together and were limited to a few speculative efforts from distance.

Standout performers

Cleiton Silva was the standout with two goals and an assist, while Naorem Mahesh Singh caused problems throughout with his direct running. East Bengal's goalkeeper kept a comfortable clean sheet, but the back line deserved credit for limiting Churchill's attacking opportunities. For the hosts, it was a night to forget, though their goalkeeper made several saves to keep the scoreline from becoming even more lopsided.

Season impact

The result strengthens East Bengal's position at the top end of the Indian Super League table and sends a clear message to their title rivals. Churchill Brothers remain in the lower half and will need to regroup quickly, with the manner of this defeat raising questions about their defensive discipline and ability to compete against the league's strongest sides.