East Bengal FC reclaimed the Durand Cup trophy after 22 years with a dominant 4-1 win over arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the 135th final.
East Bengal FC produced a dominant performance to sweep past arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant 4-1 in the 135th Durand Cup final on Sunday, reclaiming the trophy after a 22-year wait.
Edmund Lalrindika headlined the Kolkata derby with a memorable hat-trick. Bipin Singh opened the scoring for East Bengal in the 10th minute, before Lalrindika doubled the lead just a minute later with a low strike from outside the box.
In the 22nd minute, Lalrindika collected a pass from Dani Ramirez, rounded advancing Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith, and slotted the ball into an empty net. Mohun Bagan SG pulled a goal back through Manvir Singh in the 33rd minute, but Lalrindika completed his hat-trick in the 44th minute by tapping home Jay Gupta's cross.
Although Mohun Bagan initially looked composed building from the back, East Bengal's direct approach and quick forward passes repeatedly destabilised the Mariners' defense to secure the victory.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Football. Photo courtesy The Hindu Football.