Mohun Bagan Super Giant Clinch 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup Title with Petratos’ Decisive Strike

NEWS WAVE INDIA: In a thrilling finale of the 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup, Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) triumphed over their arch-city-rivals Emami East Bengal (EEB), avenging their group-stage defeat with a 1-0 victory to claim the championship title. The hero of the match was Dimitri Petratos, whose decisive strike in the 71st minute secured the win for MBSG, following Anirudh Thapa’s early second-half expulsion due to a second yellow card. The electrifying final, witnessed by nearly 50,000 fans at the iconic Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in the city, showcased an evenly matched contest.

A Tactical Battle

Both team managers surprised everyone with their starting lineups. Carles Cuadrat of EEB opted to give Md. Rakip was his first start in the tournament, while Juan Ferrando of MBSG left Manvir, who had a strong campaign, on the bench and fielded both foreign forwards, Dimitri Petratos and Armando Sadiku, upfront.

Cuadrat appeared to focus on bolstering the wings, deploying Mandar Rao Desai on the left and Harmanjot Khabra on the right in front of three central defenders. In contrast, Ferrando adhered to a more conventional 4-4-2 formation, entrusting the wing-back duties to Ashique Kuruniyan and Ashish Rai. An unexpected twist occurred for EEB when Nandhakumar and Mahesh initially played on the left.

Stalemate in the First Half

Within the opening five minutes, Ashique earned MBSG’s first corner, but it didn’t lead to a significant opportunity. EEB faced a similar outcome when they were awarded a corner a few minutes later. The initial 15 minutes saw both teams evenly matched, favoring attacks down the left flank with Ashique for MBSG and Mahesh for EEB playing pivotal roles.

Shortly after the water break, Jordan Elsey appeared to suffer an ankle injury, prompting Cuadrat to replace him with Jose Antonio Pardo in defence.

As the first half neared its end, the best chances fell to each team. First, a cross from Borja intended for Siverio’s header found Nandhakumar, but the winger failed to keep his shot on target. Then, Dimitri Petratos unleashed a brilliant strike from outside the EEB box that narrowly missed the target.

The first half ended without any goals, but both teams saw an equal number of bookings, with Saul Crespo and Borja for EEB and Hugo Boumos and Thapa for MBSG receiving yellow cards in the final stages.

Petratos Breaks the Deadlock

Cuadrat made his second substitution in the 57th minute, bringing in Brazilian Cleiton Silva for Borja, while Ferrando responded by introducing Manvir Singh for Ashish Rai.

Manvir quickly created a chance for Boumous around the hour mark, but the Frenchman’s shot missed the target.

A pivotal moment occurred when Anirudh Thapa received a red card for a high boot on Saul Crespo, marking his second booking of the match.

In the 69th minute, Ferrando made a triple substitution, bringing on Australian World Cupper Jason Cummings, Liston Colaco, and Glan Martins for Boumous, Sadiku, and Ashique, respectively.

The breakthrough arrived in the 71st minute. Dimitri Petratos, the Greek forward for MBSG, seized the opportunity in transition, advancing from just inside the EEB half without facing significant opposition from the right-hand side. He then unleashed a left-footed shot from just outside the box, perfectly placed to evade the outstretched hand of Prabhsukan Gill and find the net. Petratos’s goal broke the deadlock, sending MBSG fans into a wild celebration.

In the 78th minute, Cuadrat also made a triple substitution, introducing Nishu Kumar, VP Suhair, and Edwin Vanspaul for Chungnunga, Siverio, and Rakip. Ferrando reinforced his defence in the 87th minute, bringing on Brendan Hamill for Sahal Abdul Samad.

Despite their efforts, EEB couldn’t breach MBSG’s defence, and MBSG emerged as deserving champions. They had only suffered one defeat in the tournament, avenging it in the final, and had defeated strong teams like Mumbai City FC and FC Goa along the way.

The Prize Ceremony

The match was followed by a dazzling prize distribution ceremony, preceded by an energetic opening program. Dr. CV Ananda Bose, Hon. Governor of West Bengal, presented the President’s Cup to the champions, while Gen. Anil Chauhan PVSM UYSM AVSM SM VSM, Chief of Defence Staff, was awarded the Simla Trophy. The original prize, the Durand Cup, was handed over by Shri. Aroop Biswas, Hon. Minister in Charge of Sports and Youth Affairs, Power, and Housing, Government of West Bengal.

Other notable prize recipients of the day included:

Golden Boot (Highest scorer): David Lalhlansanga with six goals (Mohammedan Sporting).
Golden Gloves: Prabhsukan Gill (Emami East Bengal).
Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament): Nandhakumar Sekar (Emami East Bengal).