East Bengal were the better side against Mohun Bagan Super Giants as they secured a ticket to the Kalinga Super Cup Semis.

East Bengal secured their first victory over Mohun Bagan Super Giants in a thrilling derby match. The team, led by coach Carles Cuadrant, put on a dominant performance, resulting in a well-deserved 3-1 win.

In the 19th minute, following an early goal by Mohun Bagan’s captain Hector Yuste, the players of the Red and Gold team launched an exhilarating comeback. Their captain Cleiton Silva managed to score an equaliser in the 24th minute. East Bengal took the lead in the 63rd minute thanks to a goal from winger Nandhakumar Sekar, and they secured the victory with another goal by Cleiton in the 80th minute.

The game exhibited a highly exciting offensive performance from both the sides as East Bengal proved to be clinical finishers in their attacking third. It was despite the absence of Naorem Mahesh Singh and Lalchungnunga, a defender that East Bengal players resorted to an effective containment strategy against Mohun Bagan.

The player of the match award was won by Cleiton Silva, the East Bengal skipper, who proved to be a constant threat to the Mohun Bagan side throughout the match. In a thrilling Bengal derby match, Silva scored an impressive long-range goal, his first in the Red and Yellow shirt. He later capitalised on a slip by Mohun Bagan goalie, Arsh Shaikh, to score his second goal of the game.

The goal scored by Nandhakumar in the match was a result of him capitalising on Cleiton’s shot on goal, converting the rebound into a successful play. The manager of East Bengal expressed his gratitude towards the dedicated fans who made the journey to the Kalinga Stadium Main Pitch in Bhubaneswar on Friday. He also commended the impressive performance displayed by his players.

After beating Mohun Bagan, East Bengal has assured its spot in the semi-finals of Kalinga Super Cup while occupying top position on Group A’s table with 9 points. The Red and Gold Brigade will now progress further in the tournament having won their quarter finals and are now ready to face Jamshedpur FC this Friday for upcoming semi final match of Kalinga Super Cup.

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