Durand Cup 2023: East Bengal FC Beat Mohun Bagan SG in Kolkata Derby After 4 Years

East Bengal FC defeated Mohun Bagan Super Giant 1-0 in a group A match of the 132nd Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata on Saturday.

Nanda Kumar scored the only goal of the match to help the ‘Red and Gold’ brigade get a win in the Kolkata Derby after about 1657 days, which is, more than four years.

Mohun Bagan started the game in an attacking fashion, keeping possession their game plan. East Bengal, on the other hand, were happy to sit back and rely on counters.

In the 4th minute, Hugo Boumous won the ball in a dangerous area, just outside the penalty box, as Anirudh Thapa won possession. Armando Sadiku took a snapshot that fizzed past the upright.

The tackles started to flow, brought about more due to lack of match practice rather than ill intention.

East Bengal go a brilliant chance in the 17th minute. Asish Rai willed a ball to go out as Mahesh Singh contested. He poked it back at the feet of Javier Siverio, who almost turned the ball in.

Come the 21st minute, Thapa and Liston fought back possession in the final third as Sadiku laid it off for Boumous, who tried his luck from distance. The effort went agonisingly wide.

After the water break at the 30th-minute mark, there were some injuries too, some inflicted with tough challenges, while Subhasish Bose appeared to have a dead leg while trying to run down the left flank.

The game’s first card came in the added time after 45, as Harmanjot Khabra brought down Liston who had dribbled the ball past him on the left. The resulting free-kick stopped the collected breath of the stadium but Boumous’ cross was lapped up by Prabhsukhan Singh Gil.

After the restart, the tackles became more and more attacking, on their opponents.

In the 51st minute, Manvir Singh was tackled down to the ground by Souvik Chakrabarti and deservedly was booked by the referee.

As the clock neared the hour mark, the sun had gone down and the flashlights were out. Mohun Bagan were on the attack with Manvir and Dimitrios Petratos combining well. East Bengal defended well and the ball reached Borja Herrera near the halfway line.

Nandha Kumar was already on his way, Anirudha Thapa scrabbling backfoot to get to his man.

Borja’s precise through ball dissected the Mariners’ defence.

Nanda made Thapa think he would go down the wing only for him to cut back onto his left at the edge of the box. As the ball left his boot, the red and gold half of the crowd were already in delirious joy.

Vishal Kaith, in goal, jumped helplessly to his right as the ball curled into the top corner.

The green and maroon half went dark.

Mohun Bagan boss Juan Ferrando looked panicky and called on Sahal Abdul and Ashique Kuruniyan to join Jason Cummings and Petratos. Carles Cuadrat brought on defensive cover.

The match also progressively turned ugly as the tackles were tougher and players clashed on and off the ball in play.

With the timer showing 90, the rain blanketed the field in a white sheet.

When the final whistle blew, the unthinkable – at least in recent memory – had happened.

East Bengal had beaten Mohun Bagan, for the first time since 27th January 2019.