ISL 2024-25: Jeakson Singh finally finding his feet at East Bengal under Oscar Bruzon

East Bengal midfielder Jeakson Singh looks to have found form just in time as his club continues its ascent in the Indian Super League (ISL) this season.

The Red-and-Gold Brigade secured consecutive wins for the first time in the league this season, with a 2-0 score over Chennaiyin FC in its last match.

In that game, Jeakson found the net from the outside the box with a piledriver, making even opposition fans stand up and applaud, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.

“I’m very happy with the goal and the performance. It kind of changed the (outlook of the) game. We needed one more goal for cushion and we found it. I am glad to help the team out and hopefully, I can continue performing in this way in the future,” Jeakson told  Sportstar.

The India international, who moved to East Bengal after spending five years at Kerala Blasters (KBFC), had a rocky start since the move.

The club lost five matches in a row – in the ISL, AFC Champions League 2 qualifier and the Durand Cup – this season and its head coach Carles Cuadrat was shown the door after a loss to FC Goa.

Among the five included a loss to Jeakson’s former side, KBFC.

But after the arrival of Spaniard Oscar Bruzon, some silver lining might be visible on the horizon for the Kolkata-based outfit. It has qualified for the quarterfinals of the AFC Challenge League, has climbed slightly in the ISL and has lost just once in seven matches in charge.

“It is amazing (playing under the new coach). We have played seven matches (under him) and we have got decent results. Today, I also scored a goal. So, it’s going really well,” Jeakson said.

Jeakson, who had a pass accuracy of 82 per cent over five seasons with the Blasters, could be a vital piece of Bruzon’s team puzzle. With Saul Crespo expected to be out for about two weeks, the 23-year-old could replace him in the middle of the park.

With a frame of 1.86 metres, Jeakson had already shown his prowess to score from set-pieces when he became the first and only Indian goalscorer in the FIFA U-17 World Cup years ago.

At KBFC, he scored and assisted two goals each and, has now got one to his name for East Bengal.

“I just want to be better than what I was yesterday and I want to keep working towards that goal this season,” Jeakson said.

East Bengal will look to climb further in the table when it hosts Sergio Lobera’s Odisha FC on Thursday. The Juggernauts have proved to be resilient opponents, losing just once in the last nine matches, and beat Bruzon’s boys 2-1 in their previous clash.

However, Jeakson remains optimistic about the upcoming game, especially after a good string of results on their back. “Slowly, we are getting our form back and hopefully, we can continue contributing to a club with such a great history,” he said.