Which side will begin their new year with a win?
When Mohun Bagan took on Hyderabad on January 2 in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League, the Kolkata giant emerged as the winner, kicking off its new year with a win. However, the story wasn't the same for Mohun Bagan's arch-rival East Bengal, as it lost its first game of 2025 against Mumbai City on January 6.
A week later, both teams are ready to face each other for the first time in 2025—the first Kolkata Derby of the year. Unfortunately, the year's first mega football derby has been shifted to Guwahati instead of the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
Now, the question is, will Mohun Bagan continue its winning form, or will East Bengal achieve its feat in January 2025?
Here is some exclusive practice footage of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal preparing for The Kolkata Derby. ♥️💚⚔️♥️💛
— SUKALYAN SASMAL (@Sukalyan_MB) January 10, 2025
Watch till the end!😌
VC: @mohunbagansg & @eastbengal_fc
📷: @Fafo_xyz #JoyMohunBagan #ISL pic.twitter.com/Uc44m8DC83
Last year, in the month of January, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal played the first Kolkata Derby of 2024 in Odisha's Kalinga Stadium. The two teams were part of Group A in the Super Cup.
Mohun Bagan Super Giants drew first blood, thanks to a goal by Yutse. East Bengal had sustained too much pressure in the first 16 minutes of the game because of several corners that Mohun Bagan had won. Finally, in the 17th minute, Yutse utilised a cross by Petratos to find the back of East Bengal's net.
However, Mohun Bagan's joy was short-lived. Within the next seven minutes, East Bengal equalised the game. As Mohun Bagan's penalty box got crowded, the defender failed to clear the ball, which luckily landed near Cleiton's foot. The opportunity was not wasted, as Cleiton rattled Bagan's net with the equaliser.
The remainder of the first half saw the two sides tussling, including two yellow cards and even a missed penalty. Even the second half, with less than 30 minutes to go, witnessed the two sides fighting for an upper hand. Finally, in the 63rd minute, a curler by Borja hit the post, but it luckily rebounded near Bengal's Nandhakumar, who hit the ball hard to give Bengal a lead.
The final nail in Mohun Bagan's coffin was stuck again by Cleiton Silva in the 80th minute. Hizaji had headed the ball inside Bagan's penalty box, but Arsh intercepted it. Unfortunately, Arsh could not control the ball, and Cleiton was once again present in the area to take the opportunity. An elegant strike buried the third goal in Bagan's net.
By defeating Mohun Bagan, East Bengal made it to the semifinals of the Super Cup, eventually meeting Jamshedpur FC and defeating them. In the final, the Red and Gold Maroon won against Odisha FC by a scoreline of 3-2, ending a national trophy drought of 12 years.
For East Bengal, a win is crucial given the team is presently sitting in 11th place after playing 14 games, whereas Mohun Bagan is at the top of the Indian Super League table with 32 points, whereas Bengaluru FC is in second place with a difference of five points.
