East Bengal Squelches Namdhari's Resistance, Edges Closer to Durand Cup Knockouts

In a tense Group A clash of the 134th Durand Cup, East Bengal FC secured a crucial 1-0 victory over a defiant Namdhari FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday. Moroccan debutant Hamid Ahadad emerged as the hero, coming off the bench to net the decisive goal in the 68th minute, ensuring East Bengal's second consecutive tournament win as per the latest press release.

East Bengal Head Coach Oscar Bruzon made strategic changes to his lineup, bringing in Prabhsukhan Singh Gill as goalkeeper, and introducing Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira and Greek striker Dimitrios Diamantakos to bolster the attack. In contrast, Namdhari's Harpreet Singh, dealing with enforced changes, fielded skipper Akashdeep Singh in defense, while Manish Chaudhary stepped into the attack. The Red and Gold Brigade immediately dominated, but Namdhari's goalkeeper Niraj Kumar was in exceptional form, continuously thwarting their advances.

The relentless attacks from East Bengal saw Miguel Figueira striking the post twice in quick succession, while a series of efforts from Mohammed Rashid and Crespo were narrowly saved by Niraj. Despite maintaining high pressure, the score remained goalless by halftime, largely due to Namdhari's disciplined defense and Niraj's remarkable saves. The second half saw Ahadad's entry change the game's tide as he converted Figueira's corner. East Bengal sought to secure the lead further but were kept at bay by Namdhari's valiant defense, wrapping up the match with East Bengal at the top of Group A.

(With inputs from agencies.)