East Bengal clinched a nerve-wracking Kolkata Derby at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, riding on a stunning brace from Dimitrios Diamantakos. The Greek striker, who had endured heavy criticism from fans after a disappointing season last year, turned the tide dramatically to become the toast of the Red-and-Gold faithful overnight.
The night, however, began with Moroccan forward Hamid Ahadad leading the line. Ahadad, who had scored in East Bengal’s last two outings, looked set to overshadow Diamantakos again. But fate intervened. Midway through the second quarter, Ahadad pulled up with a muscle strain and was forced off, paving the way for Diamantakos’ entry.
He announced himself instantly, finding the net within minutes, only for the assistant referee to raise the offside flag. But soon after, Bipin Singh was brought down by Asish Rai inside the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. Diamantakos stepped up with confidence and calmly slotted home past Vishal Kaith to send the East Bengal stands into raptures.
If his first goal restored belief, the second, coming in the 52nd minute, underlined his quality and potential impact this season. Cutting a rejuvenated figure, Diamantakos showcased the sharpness that head coach Oscar Bruzon had long vouched for despite questions around his form. His brace not only sealed a crucial derby victory for East Bengal but also ended Mohun Bagan’s dominance in the fixture, propelling the team into the Durand Cup semifinals.
Bruzon later revealed that his handling of Diamantakos was as much psychological as tactical.
“Sometimes, you need to work on the mind of the players,” the Spaniard explained. “If you saw in the last game, I decided not to use Dimi because I wanted a reaction from him. And the reaction of Dimi, today, on the pitch, was fantastic. He helped the team, and finally, I hope that from now we also get the best version of Dimi.”
For East Bengal fans, that “best version” couldn’t have arrived at a better time.
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