East Bengal FC delivered a commanding attacking performance to crush CISF Protectors 8-0 in a Group A fixture of the 135th Durand Cup at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday, 31 July. The result equals the biggest winning margin in the tournament's history and hands East Bengal their first three points of the campaign.

How the Goals Flowed

The Red-and-Gold Brigade raced to a 3-0 lead before half-time and never relented, adding five more in a dominant second half. Vishnu P.V. was the standout performer with a hat-trick, while Jesin T.K. netted twice and Jeakson Singh also got on the scoresheet. CISF Protectors captain Mohammad Khalid added an unfortunate own goal to compound his side's misery.

The opener arrived in the 38th minute when Edmund Lalrindika's cutback found Vishnu inside the box, and the winger produced an audacious backheel finish. Four minutes later, Vishnu's low cross deflected off Khalid and ricocheted in off goalkeeper Raj Kumar Mahato for the own goal. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Daniel Ramírez drew two defenders before squaring for Jeakson Singh to tap into an empty net.

Two minutes after the restart, Vishnu added a spectacular overhead kick from a Sandip Mandi cross for his second. Bipin Singh, introduced after the hour mark, finished a swift counter in the 64th minute to make it 5-0, before Jesin struck twice and Vishnu completed his hat-trick in the closing stages to seal the 8-0 scoreline.

Tactical Decisions by East Bengal Head Coach

East Bengal head coach Antonio López Habas switched to a 4-3-3 formation, making six changes from the side that started the Kolkata Derby against Mohun Bagan Super Giant. The reshuffled lineup showed no drop in intensity, with Edmund Lalrindika and Hardik Bhatt stretching CISF's defence from both flanks throughout the contest.

Habas continued to rotate after the hour mark, bringing on Bipin Singh and Rohit Kumar for Ramírez and Mohamad Basim Rashid, maintaining relentless pressure. Even with the match long decided, East Bengal pressed for more — a statement of intent for the rest of the group stage.

CISF's Resistance and Where It Broke Down

CISF Protectors, playing a disciplined low block, frustrated East Bengal for large stretches of the first half. Goalkeeper Raj Kumar Mahato produced an outstanding double save before the half-hour mark, and Jatinder Kumar and Karamjeet Singh made key defensive interventions. The visitors also threatened on the counter through Jacob C. and Jatinder Kumar, though East Bengal goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa remained largely untested.

Once the first goal arrived, however, CISF's structure collapsed. This was their second successive defeat in the tournament, leaving their knockout hopes in serious doubt.

What This Means for East Bengal

The emphatic win marks a sharp response to East Bengal's derby loss against Mohun Bagan Super Giant, keeping their 135th Durand Cup knockout qualification bid firmly on track. Notably, the 8-0 margin equals the largest winning margin in the tournament's storied history — a significant milestone for the Kolkata club.

East Bengal will look to build on this momentum as the group stage continues, with the results of other Group A fixtures set to shape the knockout picture in the coming days.