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It is a rivalry for the ages and East Bengal FC dished out a performance for the ages, getting the better of archrivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant 1-0 in a Group A 132nd Durand Cup game at the hallowed Saltlake Staduum.
In front of roaring fans, Nandhakumar Sekar nailed a left-footed pile driver on the hour-mark, to bring to a halt a run of eight consecutive derby losses for the red and golds.
The win takes East Bengal FC to four points from two games while Mohun Bagan SG finish their group engagements with two wins and six points and will await the result of the East Bengal FC vs Punjab FC game to understand their position in the group which they currently top.
East Bengal FC’s Spanish gaffer Cuadrat began with four foreigners and three changes in his starting eleven with fellow Spaniards Saul Crespo and Javier Siverio, having Borja Herrera and Australia Jordan Elsey for company. Likewise, Juan Ferrando of MBSG, who began on the day with Ashish Rai and Anirudh Thapa and gave a start to Albanian front-man Armando Sadiku.
Mohun Bagan SG did fire the first shots with Sadiku showing his class with a strike on the turn in the very first minute, that just missed the target.
However, East Bengal FC sprang a surprise by settling down nicely into the game with the best of their chances coming in the 17th minute when Naorem Mahesh Singh’s enterprise inside the box, found Souvik Chakrabarti in space, but his attempt on goal was deflected away.
There was an immediate response from Hugo Boumous first and then the combination of Liston and Sadiku for Mohun Bagan SG mounted danger for the red and golds, with the derby living up to fan’s expectations. When the first water-break was taken at the half-hour mark, honours were even.
And although Manvir fired the first bullet immediately after that break which yet again misfired, honours remained even after the first 45 minutes.
The second-half brought no new results and Ferrando began to ring in the changes quite early, sensing new and fresh ideas and perspectives were needed to break the deadlock,
Boumous and Sadiku were replaced by Petratos and Australian world-cupper Jason Cummings. Petratos could have scored immediately, when Manvir found him with a free header in front of goal, but the Greek lobbed over.
Then all hell broke loose at the hour mark. East Bengal FC were on the counter and Borja brought about a quick offensive transition, finding Nandhakumar’s run deep inside the Mohun Bagan SG half, from the middle of the park. The lanky Chennai-born winger darted in, turned his marker Thapa inside, took a couple of touches and unleashed a left-footer which beat the entire Bagan defense and keeper Vishal Kaith at full-stretch and nestled into the back of the net.
Ferrando kept getting players off his strong bench and unleashed Sahal first in place of Manvir. Cuadrat also responded with a double change and brought V.P. Suhair and Guite in place of Borja and Siverio, who had to be stretchered off. As a final throw of the dice, Ferrando brought on Suhail Bhat and Ashique Kuruniyan in place of Anirudh Thapa and Liston Colaco, but other than two gilt-edged chances for Jason Cummings in the 69th and 81st minute, the East Bengal FC defense stood resolute.
The final few minutes were played in blinding rain, but nothing could wash away the joy of the East Bengal FC supporters as their team held on for a famous victory.
