On 28 December in the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium, Emami East Bengal FC played their final match of the year, a draw against Hyderabad FC. In the second half, East Bengal FC took the lead over the hosts, but in the dying moments, the Nawabs leveled the score to secure a point from the fixture. Hyderabad FC entered the field in search of a win, while East Bengal hoped to complete a hat-trick of victories. However, both teams ended up sharing the points.
In the first half, the net remained untouched. Hyderabad FC kicked off the match and applied attacking pressure on East Bengal FC in the early stages. After the 11th minute, Manoj Mohammad attempted an aerial shot from the center of the eighteen-yard box, but it narrowly missed the target to the right. Hyderabad got another promising chance In the 41st minute, Edmilson Correia showcased his brilliance on the left side, after receiving a pass from Isaac. He adjusted his movement and unleashed a powerful shot that narrowly missed the post on the right.
The deadlock in the match was broken in the 64th minute, front a brilliant free-kick by Cleiton Silva. After Dimitrios Diamantakos won a foul, Silva stepped up and unleashed a stunning shot that hit the crossbar. The rebound fell for Jeakson Singh, who precisely sent it into the net to put East Bengal in the lead.
Hyderabad FC increased their attacking pressure, However, the lead did not last until the end, as in the final minute of regulation time, Correia passed the ball from the left to Manoj Mohammad, who fired a low, accurate shot into the right corner of the net. His effort leveled the score at 1-1, securing a crucial point for his team.
For both teams, the start of the ongoing ISL season has not been positive. Although East Bengal FC tried to fight back and won their last two games, the Nawabs were eagerly searching for a win, having lost their previous five matches. After the match, both teams remained in the same positions on the points table, Hyderabad FC is 12th with 8 points from 13 matches, while East Bengal FC is 11th with 14 points from 13 matches.
Next fixtures from both: Hyderabad FC will travel to Kolkata for their next away fixture against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on January 2. On January 6, East Bengal FC will host Mumbai City FC.
