Kolkata: The ignominy of poor runs in the Indian Super League (ISL) has been erased but East Bengal still needed a statement of intent in a Kolkata derby to show that they were back at the top. They chose the final of the Indian Oil 135th Durand Cup to do that.
The 4-1 win against Mohun Bagan Super Giant was reminiscent of how they had knocked the archrivals off their perch with a similar scoreline in another cup competition 29 years ago. Then, it was Bhaichung Bhutia who was the cynosure. On Sunday, tournament’s Golden Ball winner Edmund Lalrindika joined Bhutia, Edeh Chidi and Kiyan Nassiri as the only players with a hattrick in Asian football most storied rivalry, one that is 101 years old. Never before has a team scored four goals in the first half in this contest so that was another one for the history books and trivia buffs.
This was East Bengal’s 17th Durand Cup title and the first since 2004. And it came months after the 106-year-old club had ended another 22-year wait: that of being India’s league champions. But the 2025-26 ISL wasn’t a full season and didn’t include a win against Mohun Bagan. Then, East Bengal lost the derby with which this iteration of Asia’s oldest football tournament had begun.
How a season begins is no indication of how it will end but for now, red and gold are colours that evoke envy and awe. Between the start and finish of the Durand Cup, East Bengal secured a berth in Asia, also with a 4-1 win following a comeback that began in the 90th minute. This result will help East Bengal in Asia, said Lalrindika. They have had problems with injuries and players being unavailable but as head coach Antonio Lopez Habas said at the pre-final media conference on Saturday, his teams do not lay out excuses.
{{/usCountry}}How a season begins is no indication of how it will end but for now, red and gold are colours that evoke envy and awe. Between the start and finish of the Durand Cup, East Bengal secured a berth in Asia, also with a 4-1 win following a comeback that began in the 90th minute. This result will help East Bengal in Asia, said Lalrindika. They have had problems with injuries and players being unavailable but as head coach Antonio Lopez Habas said at the pre-final media conference on Saturday, his teams do not lay out excuses.
{{/usCountry}}At 69, revenge is not a word that sits well with him, the Spaniard said. The desire to win “every single match” does. Bipin Singh sent East Bengal on way with a 10th minute goal. It came against the run of play and set the tone of the match. Mohun Bagan had more of the ball (66%), more attempts (19-11), more attempts on target (7-6) and more corner-kicks (6-1) but East Bengal overran them in midfield, defended with poise and counter-attacked with panache.
Moving inside, Bipin Singh met Basim Rashid’s ball before producing a neat finish. He had scored against ATK and Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the 2020-21 and 2023-24 ISL finals; Habas at the receiving end on both occasions. Lalrindika, 27, made it 2-0 in the 12th with a shot from range that grazed off Rahul Bheke. Television cameras showed East Bengal supporters referencing the 5-0 win in the 1975 IFA Shield final by showing five fingers. It could have been that had Vishal Kaith not denied Jesin TK in the 77th minute from another counter-attack.
When Liston Colaco forced a save off Prabhsukhan Singh Gill with a free-kick, rain was striking the pitch with the intensity of fire hose. But only one time looked like being swept away by the 22nd minute when Lalrindika got his second, this time shrugging off Bheke’s push and going around Kaith. Manvir Singh pulled one back in the 33rd minute but hopes of a comeback was quashed by Lalrindika completing his hattrick in the 44th minute, sliding in to meet Jay Gupta’s pass after Rashid found the left wingback from a free-kick.
It was a foul by Lalengmawia Ralte that had led to that. It was because Ralte lost the ball in the middle that East Bengal crafted a move that fetched the third goal. Ralte and Anirudh Thapa had too much to do in central midfield where East Bengal managed to have an extra player. On a booking, Ralte was lucky to stay on the pitch after being seen applauding Daniel Ramirez being shown a yellow.
The India midfielders weren’t the only Mohun Bagan players who had a forgettable evening. Jamie Maclaren failing to connect after Manvir Singh and Colaco had combined was a pivotal moment because it could have been 3-2. The Australian looked unsure of everything including why he was there. Having switched from East Bengal, Miguel Ferreira, who was loudly booed by one-half of the cauldron, was anonymous.
Mohun Bagan head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis has spoken of the need to improve fitness, tactics, technique and mentality before the ISL begins, likely on October 10. Mohun Bagan skipped media duties after the final but are not a club known for patience with head coaches. If he survives this, the Greek Dilmperis has his work cut out.