In the last fixture of Group A, the two Kolkata giants are set to topple each other
Arch rivals Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal FC will play each other in the last fixture of Group A of the ongoing Durand Cup on Sunday at the Vivekananda Yuba BharatiKrirangan stadium in Kolkata. The first Kolkata derby of the season 2024-2025 seems like a rematch of last year's Durand Cup, which included the two noisy neighbours, and Mohun Bagan SG emerged victorious.
While the winner of the upcoming game will advance to the next stage and top the group stage, the loser may be eliminated from the competition.
Jason Cummings and Dimitri Petratos are the two most crucial players of the MB camp, given they are bestowed with the duty to space and score goals. In the last match against Indian Air Force FT, Cummings scored a brace. SuhailBhat is also important, given his only goal helped MB win against Downtown Heroes. Not to forget, Greg Stuart could also play a viral role, having made his debut for the Mariners against FT. At the rear, all eyes will be on Tom Aldred, who also joined the club this season and scored a goal in his debut game.
🗣️ "I want to dedicate my goal and the victory against Punjab to Ashique Kuruniyan. We miss him a lot. We don't want to stop with the Durand Cup only"
— Mohun Bagan Fan (@MohunBagan_Fan) September 26, 2023
- Dimitri Petratos #JoyMohunBagan #MBFT pic.twitter.com/7QqVjNG2S9
From the East Bengal line-up, MadihTalal and Diamantakos are two highly rated names. For the record, in the last Indian Super League (ISL) season, Talal was the highest assist provider, whereas Diamantakos was the highest goal scorer. However, in the ongoing Durand Cup, Diamantakos has scored only one goal so far. It also must be noted that for East Bengal in the tourney, Saul Crespo and Javier Siverio have added two goals each.
Check out Madih Talal's jaw-dropping free-kick against Downtown Heroes! 🎯💥
— Superpower Football (@SuperpowerFb) August 9, 2024
Credits - @sonysportsnetwork#EastBengal #DurandCup2024 #FootballMagic #FreeKickGoals #MadihTalal #DurandCup #FootballHighlights #GoalOfTheDay #FootballFans #RedAndGold #EastBengalFC #MatchdayMagic pic.twitter.com/R4DGMzmgUu
Despite the excitement about the derby, the bigger headlines are being grabbed by Indian national defender Anwar Ali. Until last season, he donned the Mariners' jersey but has signed on the dotted lines of an East Bengal contract this season. While Mohun Bagan fans feel betrayed by Ali, the East Bengal supporters hope to see him in action for their side against his old club and bitter rivals.
Last season, Ali appeared in 26 games across competitions, delivering top-notch defensive performances. He even scored three goals and an assist. His discipline was also on point, as he collected only two yellows and not a single red.
The craze for Anwar Ali is unreal. pic.twitter.com/Ok6szQ9xnd
— Hari (@Harii33) August 11, 2024
The upcoming derby also calls for a recap of the two rivals' last two games in the 2023 Durand Cup. The noisy neighbours met in the group stage, with East Bengal beating Bagan 1-0—the Red and Yellow Brigade's first win over Mohun Bagan in four years.
However, in the finale on September 03, 2023, the two teams met again, and despite losing one man, Mohun Bagan won the match that mattered the most. Riding on the goal from Dimitri Petratos, Mohun Bagan lifted its first Durand Cup trophy since 2000. Not to forget, the title was also Mohun Bagan's 17th, the highest by a single club in the competition's 132-year history, whereas East Bengal is the second most successful club with 16 titles.
The Sunday clash is expected to be an epic showdown between two of the oldest Asian giants.
