East Bengal vs Punjab FC, Indian Super League 2024-2025, Today Match Prediction

East Bengal vs Punjab FC Match Prediction & Analysis

Punjab FC will travel to the iconic VYBK Stadium on Tuesday, December 17, to face East Bengal in Round 11 of the Indian Super League 2024/25. Both teams are eager to bounce back after setbacks in their previous outings. The hosts saw their three-match unbeaten streak snapped with a narrow 2-1 loss to Odisha, while Punjab FC’s hopes of a third consecutive win were dashed by a similar scoreline against Jamshedpur FC. Despite the loss, the Shers will still be content with where they stand currently in the points table. 

Current Standings: At present, East Bengal are placed 10th in the points table with 7 points, while Punjab are positioned 5th with 18 points. 

Head-to-head Record: Punjab FC leads 1-0 after two matches played between the teams in the ISL. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

East Bengal Preview

East Bengal's momentum hit a wall as discipline issues struck again. Leading 1-0 against Hyderabad FC, the Red and Gold Brigade looked in control until Jekson Singh saw red in the 43rd minute. Down to 10 men, East Bengal's grip slipped, and they fell to a 2-1 defeat, leaving fans frustrated and wondering what could have been.

Discipline continues to haunt East Bengal this season, with Jekson Singh’s red card marking their sixth of the ISL 2024/25 campaign—the most by any team. Shockingly, it’s their fourth red in the last five matches, a worrying trend that's costing them dearly on the pitch.

Injury woes

East Bengal's injury woes deepened as Dimitrios Diamantakos, Saul Crespo, and José Antonio Yuste missed the Odisha clash. Adding to the troubles, midfielder Madih Talal was forced off with a suspected knee injury in their latest setback, leaving the squad further depleted.

East Bengal Probable XI - Gill(GK), Lalchungnunga, Maher, Rakip, Anwar Ali, Chakrabarti, Valappil, Naorem, Rohit Kumar, Reynier Fernandes, C Silva, 

Punjab FC Preview

The Shers’ “win or nothing” approach continues to stand out this season, with no draws in their 10 games—six wins and four losses. However, defensive frailties are becoming evident, especially against crosses, as highlighted in the Jamshedpur game, where they conceded 19 crosses, one leading to a goal.

Despite the scrutiny, head coach Dilimperis dismissed concerns, saying, “I don’t think we have many issues defending. The only problem was the throw-ins. We made adjustments, brought in Nihal Sudheesh for better balance, and defended well overall.” Well only time will tell whether that small frailties will haunt them or not, but as of now, they are only one point behind the number three placed Odisha FC. 

Luka Majcen and Filip Mrzljak are driving Punjab’s success this season, contributing nearly half of the team's 17 goals. Majcen leads with 5 goals and 3 assists, while Mrzljak adds 3 goals and 2 assists, making the duo a lethal force for opponents to handle.

Stats That Matter

1. Three of their four defeats have come in away games.
2. They have conceded just 11  goals this season, the 2nd lowest behind Mohun Bagan (10).
3. Punjab FC scores 31% of their goals between the minutes 76-90.
4. They have scored at least once in nine of the ten matches that have been played this season. 

Punjab FC Probable XI - Ravi Kumar (GK) ; Novoselec, Meitei, Sudeesh, Abhishek Singh, Vidal, Mrzljak, Nikhil Prabhu, Shabong, Meetei, Majcen 

EAST BENGAL vs PUNJAB FC
Winning Prediction

While their ISL history is brief, East Bengal and Punjab share a competitive rivalry dating back to the I-League and across various competitions. In their last 11 meetings, East Bengal has held the upper hand with five wins, compared to Punjab's two. At home, East Bengal leads with two wins to Punjab’s one, while four matches have ended in draws.

Despite their injury troubles, East Bengal has demonstrated resilience and has taken the game to their opponents. If they can maintain their discipline, this will be an open game. We predict a victory for East Bengal in this match. According to one such site, East Bengal is favored to win with odds of 2.48 to Punjab's 2.75, with a tie at 3.50. However, we would prefer to place our bets on Punjab based on the injury list and suspensions of the East Bengal team.

Punjab FC to Win (1-2)

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