Last Updated:
East Bengal FC beat Namdhari FC 1-0 in the Durand Cup with Hamid Ahadad’s debut goal. East Bengal leads Group A with six points, dominating possession despite Namdhari’s defense.
East Bengal FC’s Hamid Ahadad (X)
East Bengal FC took a significant step towards qualifying for the knockout stages of the 134th Durand Cup with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over a determined Namdhari FC in a Group A clash at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday.
Making his debut for the Red and Golds, Moroccan forward Hamid Ahadad came off the bench to score the decisive goal in the 68th minute, marking a memorable first appearance. The win was East Bengal’s second in as many matches, taking them to the top of Group A with six points and a healthy goal difference of +6.
Head coach Oscar Bruzon rang in four changes from their opening fixture, handing starts to goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira, Greek striker Dimitrios Diamantakos, and winger Bipin Singh.
Namdhari FC, still reeling from suspensions, made two forced changes. Skipper Akashdeep Singh returned to bolster the defence, while Manish Chaudhary was included in the attack in place of the suspended Manbir Singh.
East Bengal Dominate But Struggle to Break Through
From the outset, East Bengal dominated possession and pinned Namdhari deep inside their half. However, goalkeeper Niraj Kumar produced a sensational performance to keep the favourites at bay. In the ninth minute, he rushed off his line to deny Diamantakos, and minutes later cut off a dangerous low cross from Bipin Singh to thwart a clear chance.
Midfielder Mohammed Rashid tested him with a fierce shot in the 17th minute, before Miguel Figueira rattled the post twice—once from distance and again with a header. In the 39th minute, Niraj denied Saul Crespo from close range before watching Miguel hit the crossbar yet again with a thunderous header.
Despite wave after wave of East Bengal attacks, Namdhari’s deep defensive setup—anchored by their keeper’s brilliance—kept the game goalless at halftime.
Substitute Ahadad Breaks the Deadlock
East Bengal resumed the second half in similar fashion, searching relentlessly for the breakthrough. After another saved effort from Diamantakos and a rare Namdhari chance that Dharmpreet Singh fired wide, Bruzon made a tactical switch—bringing on Hamid Ahadad in the 61st minute.
The Moroccan wasted no time making his mark. In the 68th minute, Miguel Figueira swung in a corner which Niraj misjudged, allowing Ahadad to head in unchallenged at the far post.
East Bengal continued to press for a second goal, but Namdhari remained compact, avoiding further damage. With the win, East Bengal moved to six points from two matches and remain firmly in control of their knockout destiny. Namdhari, who have also registered two wins in three games, remain in contention with six points and a goal difference of +3. They can still progress as one of the two best second-placed teams.
(with PTI inputs)
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
view comments
Read More
