East Bengal FC secured their place in the 135th Durand Cup final after defeating Sporting Club Delhi 5-3 on penalties following a goalless draw in the first semi-final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill was the hero for East Bengal, saving Rodriguinho’s penalty during regulation time before denying Juan Sebastian Peña in the shootout. Captain Mohamad Basim Rashid then converted the decisive spot-kick to send the Red and Gold Brigade into the final.
East Bengal will face the winner of Thursday’s second semi-final between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and defending champions NorthEast United FC. The final will be played on Sunday, August 23.
Sporting Club Delhi started with Joseph Sunny and Rodriguinho in attack, while Peña operated in midfield. East Bengal, meanwhile, deployed Dani Ramírez Fernández behind lone striker Jesin T.K. Thonikkara.
The opening exchanges were evenly contested, with both sides creating opportunities. East Bengal came closest in the 16th minute when Basim Rashid’s free-kick from the left struck the crossbar. Jesin then hit the outside of the crossbar after winning possession near the SC Delhi penalty area.
SC Delhi were awarded a penalty in the 33rd minute after Rodriguinho was brought down inside the box. The forward stepped up himself, but Gill guessed correctly and made an excellent save to keep the score level.
East Bengal continued to dominate possession towards the end of the first half but were unable to find a breakthrough. The teams went into the interval with the score 0-0.
SC Delhi remained dangerous on the counter after the restart. Rodriguinho broke into the East Bengal box in the 47th minute after a long clearance, but Anwar Ali produced a timely sliding challenge to prevent him from shooting.
East Bengal gradually increased the pressure. Basim Rashid came close again in the 73rd minute when his long-range effort took a deflection and struck the post, East Bengal’s third effort to hit the woodwork in the match.
Two minutes later, Christopher James Ikonomidis created another excellent opportunity with a cutback for David Lalhlansanga, but SC Delhi goalkeeper Nora Fernandes made a superb save.
Neither team could produce a decisive finish in the closing stages, and the match remained goalless after 90 minutes.
East Bengal took the lead in the penalty shootout through Anwar Ali, while Peña’s attempt was saved by Gill. Rohit Danu converted for East Bengal before Rodriguinho scored for SC Delhi.
Lalchungnunga and Duvan Felipe Viafara Mina then successfully converted their penalties, followed by successful attempts from Ikonomidis and Mohammed Aimen.
With East Bengal one kick away from victory, Basim Rashid stepped up and calmly converted the decisive penalty to seal a 5-3 shootout win.
East Bengal will now await the result of Thursday’s semi-final between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and NorthEast United FC to discover their opponents in Sunday’s final.
