East Bengal FC will seek to avenge its only defeat of the season so far when its faces traditional rival Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the final of the 135th Durand Cup at Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday. The famed Kolkata Derby returns to the venue where this edition began four weeks ago, adding another layer to high-stakes contest.
The tournament opened with the derby which Mohun Bagan won 1-0 on July 25, with Sahal Abdul Samad scoring the decisive goal in the second half. Since then East Bengal has been flawless recording emphatic 8-0 and 5-0 group-stage victories before edging Indian Army 1-0 in the quarterfinal and overcoming Sporting Club Delhi via tie-breaker after a goalless semifinal. Mohun Bagan has 16 goals in favour to East Bengal’s 14, giving the Mariners a slight attacking edge. Record 17-time champion Mohun Bagan can move to 18 titles with a victory, while East Bengal can draw level on 17.
They have won five finals each, while two others saw them ending as joint winners. The numbers suggest little to separate the finalists defensively – both have conceded just once in six matches. East Bengal has also shown the ability to negotiate tight knockout contests, which makes the final evenly balanced. This will be the 13th Durand Cup final meeting between the rivals.