East Bengal’s Dominance Fails to Secure Victory Despite Statistical Edge
In an exciting Group A encounter of the 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup, the Bangladesh Army Football Team (BAFT) kept 10-man East Bengal at a 2-2 draw. The Kolkata side took a 2-0 lead in the first half with Saul Crespo and Siviero scoring the goals. However, BAFT’s Shariar Emon and substitute Meraj Pradhan struck back, keeping their team in contention. The game became even more dramatic when Nishu Kumar received a red card in the 67th minute. The thrilling last few minutes saw both teams fiercely fighting, resulting in an exciting draw at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata.
As the Kolkata derby against Mohun Bagan Super Giant approaches, East Bengal will feel disappointed by their missed opportunities, especially in the first half. With a new squad and coach, they will face immense pressure to advance from a tough group that includes Punjab FC.
First-Half
Javier Siverio, one of the two Spaniards in coach Carles Cuadrat’s starting eleven, seemed to score for East Bengal early on, but the referee booked him for handball. Naorem Mahesh and Nandha Kumar worked tirelessly, switching flanks, defending, and creating chances, leading to periods of dominance for East Bengal, but they couldn’t break the deadlock.
Finally, in the 34th minute, Kamrul Islam fouled Nishu Kumar inside the Bangladesh penalty box, and the other Spanish player, Saul Crespo, confidently converted the penalty to give East Bengal the lead. The upcoming Kolkata derby will undoubtedly be a crucial test for the revamped team, who will aim to capitalize on their chances and make a strong statement in the IndianOil Durand Cup.
Just before halftime, East Bengal appeared to secure a comfortable lead as Siverio scored with a header from a Harmanjot Khabra cross.
Second-Half
However, the second half witnessed scrappy football, and although East Bengal had better chances, they failed to capitalize.
In the 67th minute, Nishu Kumar received a red card, and Bangladesh saw an opportunity to mount a comeback. In the 88th minute, two significant events occurred – Gursimrat Gill was substituted with Australian Jordan Elsey, and Shariar Emon scored Bangladesh’s first goal of the tournament. The goal came from a Mehedi Hasan throw-in, with a couple of headers redirecting the ball to Emon, who expertly struck it with his left foot, bouncing it past goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill.
The late goal added drama to the match, and East Bengal will rue their missed chances as a resilient Bangladesh Army Football Team held them to a 2-2 draw. With the Kolkata derby on the horizon, East Bengal must regroup and convert their opportunities to advance in the 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup.
