Kolkata, September 2: East Bengal FC secured a 3–0 victory over United Kolkata SC in the Calcutta Football League, on Wednesday afternoon at Bankimanjali Stadium, Naihati. Akash Hemram’a standout performance grab all the attention as he produced a brilliant hat-trick to seal all three points.
East Bengal took the lead in the 23rd minute through Akash Hemram. With three players inside the box, Akash found the space and placed the ball into the net to put East Bengal ahead 1–0. The goal was his fifth of the campaign.
A few minutes later, East Bengal FC suffered an injury setback. In the 27th minute, Pratik Lama and Bikram Pradhan went for the same ball and collided, leaving both on the ground. But Bikram Pradhan had to be taken off on a stretcher, forcing East Bengal to make a change, with Suman coming on.
United Kolkata came close to finding an equaliser just before the break. In the third minute of added time, Gagandeep took a shot with the goalkeeper out of position, but Jay Baz made an important goal-line clearance to keep East Bengal in front.
The second half was largely about United Kolkata’s attacking pressure and their missed chances. East Bengal’s defence looked scattered at times as United Kolkata continued to push forward. However, as the match entered its final quarter, the game changed again, with East Bengal beginning to capitalise on the spaces and take control.
United Kolkata made a forced change in the 70th minute as Josua was taken off and Baban Poilan came on.
In the 83rd minute, the Red and Gold created a threatening move when Mohammad Bilal made a long run forward. However, the ball moved slightly too far away from him, allowing Suraj Mallick to come out and clear the danger.
East Bengal doubled their advantage in the 85th minute, with Akash Hemram completing his brace. Akash initially lost his balance but quickly got back on his feet before attempting the shot towards goal. The defense could only watch as the goalkeeper also slipped, allowing the ball to find the net and make it 2–0.
East Bengal were also forced into another change, with Ricky Singh coming off and Somik Koley replacing him. The match saw several changes from both sides as the rainfall left the ground in difficult condition. The wet and heavy pitch made it challenging for the players to maintain their footing and affected the flow of the game. As the match progressed, both teams were forced to make changes, with injuries and the demanding conditions adding to the intensity of the contest.
Akash Hemram then completed his hat-trick in the fourth minute of added time. The forward produced a brilliant long-range finish, leaving everyone watching as the ball found the back of the net. The goal made it 3–0 and completed a memorable individual performance for Akash.
With his three goals against United Kolkata SC, Akash Hemram took his tally to seven goals in the Calcutta Football League so far in his debut campaign with East Bengal FC.
With the win, East Bengal FC gathered 26 points and remained in second position in the group. The defeat also ended United Kolkata SC’s hopes of making it to the CFL 2026 Super Six, as Bhawanipore FC, East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan SG have already secured their places from Group A. East Bengal FC now have one match remaining in the group, with the much-awaited derby against Mohun Bagan SG set to be their final group-stage fixture on Monday.
CFL 2026 – East Bengal FC vs United Kolkata SC highlights
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