In a tightly contested match, Mohun Bagan Super Giant edged out East Bengal FC 1-0 in the opening game of 135th Durand Cup on Saturday at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. The decisive moment came from Sahal Abdul Samad,who scored shortly after the second half began, securing a vital victory for the Mariners against their archrivals.
Both teams fielded all-Indian line-ups,with Antonio López Habas and Panagiotis Dilimperis making their debuts as head coaches . The match kicked off with high energy, as Mohun Bagan quickly took control, utilizing the speed of right-back Tekcham Abhishek Singh. Their initial attempts to score included a glancing header from Manvir Singh that missed the target and a weak header from Kiyan Nassiri that was easily saved by East Bengal's goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.
Despite dominating possession and creating ten attempts on goal in the first half,Mohun Bagan struggled to penetrate East Bengal's solid defense, led by Anwar Ali and Sandip Mandi. Both teams went into halftime scoreless,with East Bengal managing only two shots on goal.
The second half saw Mohun Bagan maintain their momentum . Just seven minutes in,Kiyan Nassiri dispossessed Rohit Danu in the penalty area and delivered a low cross that found Sahal Abdul Samad at back post. Samad tapped the ball into an empty net, giving Mohun Bagan lead.
In response, Dilimperis made tactical changes,introducing new signings Dejan Dražić and Deepak Tangri to bolster East Bengal's attack. The Red and Gold Brigade began to find their rhythm,with Vishnu testing Mohun Bagan's goalkeeper Vishal Kaith with a powerful strike that was well saved.
As the match progressed, East Bengal intensified their efforts to equalize. Lalchungnunga made a notable run down the right wing, forcing another save from Kaith . The pressure mounted as East Bengal created several opportunities, including a near miss from Dani Ramírez,whose shot clipped the post after a clever run to meet Vishnu's cross.
In the dying moments, Mohun Bagan's defense was put to the test. A well-placed corner kick found Anwar Ali, but his header failed to hit the target. Kaith emerged as hero for Mohun Bagan, making a spectacular save to deny Mohamad Rashid's acrobatic attempt after the midfielder was left unmarked.
Ultimately,Mohun Bagan held on to their slim lead, marking successful start to the tournament. The victory sets a competitive tone for the Durand Cup, with the Mariners looking to build on this performance in their upcoming matches .
Looking ahead,the tournament continues with Jamshedpur FC facing Defenders FC from Sri Lanka at 5 PM,followed by Indian Army FT against Samaleswari Sporting at 7:30 PM, both matches taking place in Kolkata.
