East Bengal FC will seek to avenge their only defeat of the season when they face unbeaten Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the 135th Durand Cup final at Salt Lake Stadium.
East Bengal FC will aim to avenge their sole defeat of the season when they clash with traditional rival Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the final of the 135th Durand Cup at Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday. The high-stakes Kolkata Derby returns to the very venue where the tournament commenced four weeks ago.
Mohun Bagan kicked off the tournament with a 1-0 victory over East Bengal on July 25, secured by a decisive second-half goal from Sahal Abdul Samad. Since that opening loss, East Bengal has registered a flawless run, including 8-0 and 5-0 group-stage wins, a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Indian Army, and a tie-breaker win against Sporting Club Delhi following a goalless semifinal.
Mohun Bagan enters the final unbeaten. Following their derby success, the Mariners routed South United FC 8-0 and CISF Protectors 6-0, before navigating tense knockout penalty shootouts against Jamshedpur FC and NorthEast United FC.
Statistically, both finalists have been formidable at the back, each conceding only once across six matches. Mohun Bagan holds a slight attacking advantage with 16 goals scored to East Bengal's 14.
Sunday marks the 13th time the two Kolkata powerhouses will meet in a Durand Cup final. Their head-to-head record in finals stands at five victories each, with two editions ending in joint titles. Record 17-time champion Mohun Bagan can secure an 18th title with a win, while East Bengal can draw level on 17.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Football. Photo courtesy The Hindu Football.