Football
Durand Cup 2023: Bangladesh Army shares spoils with East Bengal- Highlights
Bangladesh Army scored in the dying minutes to snatch one point from East Bengal FC.
East Bengal vs Bangladesh Army (Image via Durand Cup)
East Bengal have kicked off their new era under new head coach Carles Cuadrat on Sunday at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata against Bangladesh Army on Sunday. Saul Crespo put East Bengal 1-0 up in the 34th minute before Javier Siverio added another in added time in the first half.
Mohun Bagan, who put five past Bangladesh Army in their last match, are sitting pretty at the top of Group A. With only the group-toppers assured progress into the next round, East Bengal will be looking for a heavy win.
Nishu Kumar picked up a red card in the 67th minute after fouling a player off the ball. East Bengal continued to dominate despite the numerical disadvantage.
After 85 minutes the red and gold brigade slowed down, after 3 minutes Bangladesh Army got their first goal.
Sahariar Emon buried a beautiful ground ball into the bottom left corner of the net. In the 96th minute they pulled one more back, thanks to Meraj.
As it happened:
Live Updates
- 6 Aug 2023 12:06 PM GMT
45+4' - Goal by Javier Siverio
Siverio scores! In the last minute of added time, Siverio scores, this time legitimately with a header. Khabra's cross from a set piece finds Siverio. The East Bengal faithful embrace their new goal scoring talisman as he makes his way to the corner flag after putting 2-0 up.
The half time whistle blows. Crespo and Siverio - the two men on whom most eyes would have been on - have both scored for East Bengal.
EB 2-0 BA at Half Time
- 6 Aug 2023 11:57 AM GMT
41' - Siverio links up well with young forwards
Siverio releases Vanlalpeka Guite with a brilliantly threaded ball, but the youngster cannot keep his cool - he slams his shot miles over the bar.
- 6 Aug 2023 11:49 AM GMT
34' - Penalty for East Bengal, Saul Crespo makes it 1-0 to EB
The moment comes! The moment EB have been waiting for. Nishu Kumar is pulled down at the edge of the box. Referee thought about it for a while, then pointed at the spot, sending Kolkata wild! A well won penalty by Nishu.
Crespo steps up. And scores. Calmly slotted in into the bottom left corner.
- 6 Aug 2023 11:41 AM GMT
28' - Nandhakumar looks dangerous down EB's left flank
The wall of noise goes up again as Nandha finds himself in some space in the box. He takes too much time on the ball though, is closed down for a corner.
Nandha is making a few dangerous runs down the left flank, but EB are yet to time their releases of the ball to perfection. And so, EB still look for a meaningful opening. BAFT grow more into the game. The deeper this game goes, the better it is for them.
- 6 Aug 2023 11:37 AM GMT
23' - East Bengal lose structure, BAFT attack
In the 20th minute, there's an attack at the other end. A Bangladeshi forward manages to get his head to a cross coming in from the right, but it is safely wide. No dangerous attacks on either side so far. East Bengal, after a dazzling start, have started to look a little disorganised in midfield.
- 6 Aug 2023 11:32 AM GMT
16' - BAFT close down Crespo in midfield
It was an attack from the right which set up an attack by Naorem in the first minute. Since then, the action has shifted to the left flank. Crespo trying to find some space in the centre of the park, but the green shirts are managing to close him down.
- 6 Aug 2023 11:22 AM GMT
5' - A failed 'Hand of God' earns EB an yellow card
A cross now goes in from the left flank. The Bangladeshi defence is left wrong-footed. Goal! The crowd goes wild. But wait...the referee has other ideas. He claims the striker Javier Siverio used his hand to put the goal in.
A failed 'Hand of God' in the first 5 minutes. Bring it on! An yellow card for Javier.
- 6 Aug 2023 11:18 AM GMT
EB attack in 1st minute
The match starts with a bang! Mahesh Naorem makes a foray into the box in the first minute. A cross comes in. The Salt Lake stadium rises as one as a wall of noise goes up.
The Kolkata football season has well and truly began - with a duel against a Bengali side from across the border! Has Indian football ever been more exciting?
- 6 Aug 2023 11:14 AM GMT
Ready for kick-off
Both teams are out. It's drizzling at the stadium right now, but the crowds have turned up in huge numbers! All the fans are cramped together right now in the section under the shade. No such luxury for the players and the referees. Could expect some puddles to form soon.
What does it matter that the water polo team is not going to the Asian Games, we might get to see some thrilling water polo action here today!
- 6 Aug 2023 11:05 AM GMT
Mission Impossible for new coach Cuadrat
Former BFC coach Carles Cuadrat has an uphill task as he begins his stint with East Bengal at a time when the legacy club has been trophy-less for ten years.
"Managing the club (East Bengal) will be the biggest challenge of my coaching career. At Bengaluru (FC), my former club, I had some good national team players in Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Here at East Bengal, I have to start from zero," he tells The Bridge.
READ | Carles Cuadrat: Coaching East Bengal will be the biggest challenge of my career
