East Bengal beat Inter Kashi 5–1 in Pune as Habas shifts focus to AFC tie
East Bengal defeated Inter Kashi 5–1 in Pune at Balewadi in their second match of the Indian Super League 2026–27 on October 23, 2026. Head coach Antonio López Habas said he was pleased with the result and that the team's attention has already turned to their AFC assignment.
East Bengal scored four times inside 27 minutes in the first half and added a late goal to complete the 5-1 victory, remaining atop the ISL 2026-27 standings. Dani Ramírez opened the scoring with a finish into the top-left corner, Vishnu Puthiya doubled the lead following a swift counterattack, Aké Loba converted a penalty and Lukasz Zwoliński added a close-range strike after the interval, as the club extended its ISL unbeaten run to 12 matches.
Addressing squad selection and rotation after the win, Habas said: "I have to discuss it with the players beforehand. Loba, Lukasz and David are all very good players." He added that selection depends on each player's condition and suitability for the starting eleven, and noted the need to rotate across competitions.
On training and match preparation, Habas commented: "We train every day, and our training sessions have to be similar to match situations and competitive scenarios. Every match should reflect what we work on in training." He also emphasised intensity in training and squad depth, saying: "Our players train at full intensity every day, and this is very important for achieving our goals. When you select a player for the starting eleven, the team’s overall level should not drop. The depth of the squad is important."
Reflecting on his return to Pune after a decade, Habas criticised the state of the playing surface and spoke about the city's potential for a future ISL team, saying: "The pitch was better a long time ago than it is today. Perhaps it has not had enough time for repairs since 2016." He added: "But I think Pune is a city with the potential to have a team in the ISL, provided the team has the right conditions and facilities, rather than having to operate in poor conditions."
Habas also addressed salary-payment issues at his former club Inter Kashi, expressing anger at the club's board and their recruitment decisions while payments to existing staff and players remained outstanding. He said: "I have very fond memories of the players and support staff at Inter Kashi. I am absolutely furious with the club’s board and those who allowed it to sign 22 players without having paid the existing players and staff." He added: "Many of the players and members of the coaching staff are still under contracts from last season. This is not normal." and: "I have the utmost respect for the players at Inter Kashi. It is not right that Inter Kashi can play in the ISL while members of last season’s coaching staff and some players have not received their salaries for the entire season." He concluded: "They worked for an entire season without being paid. An entire season working for Inter Kashi without receiving their salaries. I want to see that addressed."
Habas confirmed East Bengal's immediate focus is the away AFC Champions League Two fixture against Al-Seeb on October 27, 2026, and underlined the need to consider competition-specific squad rules. "The AFC Champions League Two is a different competition, but our approach to the game has to remain similar. We have to consider the squad requirements, including the rule that two under-23 players must be included in the squad. I prefer to focus on one competition at a time. Everyone is fit and available for the AFC match," he said.
