East Bengal registered a thrilling 2-1 win over Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the quarter-final of the Durand Cup 2025 at Salt Lake Stadium. Dimitrios Diamantakos was the hero for Oscar Bruzon’s side, scoring both goals, while Anirudh Thapa netted the only strike for the Mariners.
The match began brightly for East Bengal. New signing Hamid Ahdad had a chance to score in the third minute, but Vishal Kaith made a comfortable save. The Red and Gold brigade looked sharper in possession, moving the ball with rhythm and composure. In contrast, Mohun Bagan struggled to string passes together and found it hard to enter the final third.
A setback struck East Bengal early as Ahdad went off injured in the 16th minute, looking frustrated as he was replaced by Diamantakos. Ten minutes later, controversy arrived when Bagan’s Tom Aldred lost the ball outside the box and a quick East Bengal free-kick led to a goal. Fans erupted in joy, but referee R Venkatesh ruled it out, leaving Saul Crespo visibly unhappy.
In the 33rd minute, Diamantakos had the ball in the net, but the linesman flagged offside. Finally, in the 36th minute, East Bengal got their reward. Asish Rai fouled Bipin Singh inside the box, and a penalty was awarded. Diamantakos stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past Kaith to give his side a 1-0 lead. Defensively, East Bengal stood firm, with Kevin Sibile keeping Bagan striker Jamie Maclaren quiet. The Mariners ended the first half with only one shot, which was off target.
In the second half, Bagan brought on Jason Cummings to add firepower. But East Bengal struck again in the 52nd minute. Naorem Mahesh Singh’s pass found Diamantakos, whose shot took a deflection off Alberto Rodriguez. Kaith got a touch but could not keep it out, as East Bengal went 2-0 up. The East Bengal fans roared, while Bagan fans fell silent.
The Mariners finally came alive in the 68th minute. Thapa unleashed a strike from distance that beat Prabhsukhan Gill and gave his side hope. The goal lifted Jose Molina’s team as they created back-to-back chances. Molina made further changes, bringing in Deepak Tangri, Dippendu Biswas, and Dimitrios Petratos.
Asish Rai nearly produced a stunning equaliser in the 72nd minute with a thumping shot from a tight angle, but Gill’s fingertips denied him. Despite late pressure from Bagan, East Bengal’s defence held firm until the final whistle.
The win knocked Mohun Bagan out of the tournament, while East Bengal booked their place in the semi-final, where they will face Diamond Harbour.
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