The entire Salt Lake Stadium fell silent as the NorthEast United players embarked on a victory parade around the ground. The joy of winning their first-ever major trophy was palpable on the faces of the Highlanders.
Mohun Bagan started the match with dominance, showcasing their possession-based football and strong defensive set-up. However, a rejuvenated NorthEast United staged a dramatic comeback in the second-half, and ultimately, Gurmeet Singh’s heroics in the penalty shootout secured their first-ever major title since the club’s inception.
Sahal Abdul Samad and Liston Colaco were the standout performers for Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the first half, displaying remarkable skills and attacking flair. Despite Bagan’s early control, NorthEast United’s resilience shone through. As anticipated, NorthEast United aimed to exploit Bagan’s flanks with their speedy wingers, Jithin MS and Thoi Singh, posing a constant threat.
The breakthrough came in the ninth minute when Asheer Akhtar pulled Sahal’s shirt inside the box after the latter received an aerial pass from Jason Cummings and attempted to evade his marker. The referee wasted no time in pointing to the spot, and Cummings calmly converted the penalty, sending Gurmeet Singh the wrong way and putting Bagan in the lead.
Bagan had another golden opportunity inside 20 minutes, but Greg Stewart, after dribbling past two defenders, hit the ball over the crossbar.
NorthEast United’s first meaningful attempt came in the 21st minute when Jithin burst into the box to meet a cross from Alaaeddine Ajaraie, but Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith stood firm, palming away Jithin’s header.
Both teams were forced to make early substitutions due to injuries. NorthEast United had to replace their versatile midfielder Mohammed Bemammer with Nestor Albiach, while Bagan’s center-back Alberto Rodriguez was substituted by Asish Rai due to a muscle injury.
Despite the disruptions, Bagan continued their relentless pressure, and just before half-time, Sahal doubled their lead. Liston’s brilliant run down the left flank and precise cutback found an unmarked Sahal, who coolly slotted the ball past Gurmeet Singh.
At half-time, Sahal made way for Dimitri Petratos, while NorthEast United coach Pedro Benali brought on Guillermo Fernandez in place of Hamza Regragui. However, it was the Moroccan forward Alaaeddine Ajaraie who reignited his team’s hopes in the 55th minute, drilling a shot into the bottom right corner from Jithin’s pass to reduce the deficit.
Just three minutes later, NorthEast United found the equaliser. Guillermo, who had just come on, silenced a packed stadium with a powerful strike from an Ajaraie cross from the left wing, making it 2-2.
The Highlanders continued to apply pressure on Bagan’s defence, with Kaith making crucial saves to keep the scores level. In an attempt to regain control, Jose Molina brought on holding midfielder Abhishek Suryawanshi, replacing Stewart, but Bagan struggled to reassert themselves in midfield.
With two minutes remaining in regulation time, Petratos came close to sealing the win for Bagan, but his long-range effort narrowly missed the target. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, sending the contest into a penalty shootout.
In a tense shootout, Gurmeet emerged as the hero for NorthEast United, making two brilliant saves to deny Liston and Subhasish Bose. NorthEast United won the shootout 4-3 to lift the Durand Cup.