Mohun Bagan Super Giant took down their arch-rival East Bengal in the summit clash of Durand Cup 2023 to lift the title trophy after 23 years. In the final match of the contest where fans witnessed the Kolkata derby for the second time in the tour, Mohun Bagan gained the victory after defeating the opposition 1-0 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Sunday, August 3.
This was the first time both sides came against each other in the finale of the Durand Cup since 2004. With this victory, Bagan, led by Subhashish Bose, ended their 23-year-long title drought as it was in 2000 when they won their last trophy. Then Bagan defeated Mahindra United via a golden goal.
The winners were one man down when Anirudh Thapa was sent off the field in the 62nd minute of the game. However, a brilliant goal by Petratos in the 71st minute helped them take the trophy home.
In a drama-packed match, East Bengal’s assistant coach Dimas Delgado got into a heated argument with Mohun Bagan's Juan Ferrando. After the same, the former got a red card in the second half of extra time. Vishal Kaith won the Golden Glove Award for being the Best Goalkeeper in the Durand Cup 2023. The Bagans booked their berth in the finale by taking down FC Goa in the semifinal clash.
