News Desk: East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are set to renew their historic rivalry in the Durand Cup final, bringing back memories of their most recent meeting in the competition’s showpiece match.
The previous Durand Cup final between the two Kolkata giants was played on September 3, 2023, at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. Mohun Bagan Super Giant emerged victorious, beating East Bengal 1-0 to lift the trophy.
The match was decided by a moment of individual brilliance from Dimitri Petratos. The Australian forward struck in the 71st minute, producing the only goal of the final and handing Mohun Bagan their first Durand Cup title since 2000.
Mohun Bagan had to play a large part of the match with 10 men, making the victory even more significant. East Bengal pushed for an equaliser but could not find a way through the Mariners' defence.
The result was particularly painful for East Bengal because they had already beaten Mohun Bagan earlier in the same tournament. In the group-stage derby on August 12, 2023, East Bengal secured a 1-0 victory, with Nandhakumar Sekar scoring the decisive goal.
That meant Mohun Bagan had the final say when the two teams met for the trophy. The 1-0 win gave Mohun Bagan their 17th Durand Cup title, while East Bengal had to settle for runners-up.
The rivalry has produced several memorable Durand Cup finals over the years. East Bengal defeated Mohun Bagan 2-1 in the 2004 final, their most recent triumph in the tournament. In 1984 and 1994, Mohun Bagan also defeated East Bengal in Durand Cup finals.
Now, three years after that 2023 final, the two clubs are meeting again in the Durand Cup final. The 2026 clash gives East Bengal an opportunity to erase the disappointment of 2023, while Mohun Bagan will look to repeat their previous success.
For East Bengal, there is also a bigger prize at stake: ending their long wait for a Durand Cup title. Their last triumph came in 2004, so a victory would give them their 17th title and finally bring the trophy back to their cabinet after more than two decades.
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