How can East Bengal qualify for the Durand Cup 2023 quarterfinals?

East Bengal is the joint-most successful side in the tournament with 16 titles, having won its last Durand Cup title 19 years ago when it beat Mohun Bagan 2-1 in the final.

East Bengal FC’s Nandha Kumar helped East Bengal win the Kolkata derby and the match against Punjab FC might just decide the club’s hopes to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Durand Cup. | Photo Credit: PTI

The Durand Cup 2023 is entering its final stages of group stage play and Kolkata-based clubs, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Emami East Bengal are both looking for a spot in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Interestingly, both clubs last played in the Durand Cup knockouts in 2019, where East Bengal finished as a semifinalist and Mohun Bagan was the runner-up.

Four years later, both the clubs are drawn in the same group and East Bengal has beaten the Mariners after the very same time. The win denied a clear quarterfinal spot for Mohun Bagan while EBFC remains in the race to make it to the quarters.

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East Bengal is the joint-most successful side in the tournament with 16 titles, having won its last Durand Cup title 19 years ago when it beat Mohun Bagan 2-1 in the final.

East Bengal’s form in the Durand Cup 2023

East Bengal started its tournament with a 2-2 draw with Bangladesh Army Football Team, failing to defend its two-goal lead in the second half.

In its second game, former Odisha FC winger Nandhakumar Sekar proved to be the most important player on the pitch when he curled in a left-footer into the bottom-left corner against Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

The win did not just secure his team’s first win under new head coach Carles Cuadrat but it also guided the red-and-golf brigade to its first Kolkata derby win since January 27, 2019.

East Bengal FC player Nandha Kumar (11) celebrates after scoring a goal during the Durand Cup match againat Mohun Began Super Giant at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. | Photo Credit: PTI

Before East Bengal’s final group-stage match against Punjab FC, here are the scenarios about how East Bengal can qualify for the final eight.

East Bengal’s points table:

Team	Matches	Win	Draw	Loss	GD	Points
Mohun Bagan Super Giant	3	2	0	1	6	6
Emami East Bengal	2	1	1	0	1	4
Bangladesh Army FT	3	0	2	1	-5	2
Punjab FC	2	0	1	1	-2	1

How can East Bengal qualify for the quarterfinals?

Scenario 1: If East Bengal beats Punjab FC – East Bengal will earn a direct spot into the quarterfinals.

Scenario 2: If East Bengal draws/loses against Punjab FC – East Bengal can still make it to the quarters as one of the two best second-placed sides. The 2023 edition of the tournament will have the six group-toppers and two-best ranked sides as the last eight teams.

East Bengal squad:

Goalkeepers: Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Kamaljit Singh, Aditya Patra

Defenders: Lalchungnunga, Gursimrat Singh Gill, Nishu Kumar, Tuhin Das, Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, Mohamad Rakip, Athul Unnikrishnan, Jordan Elsey (Australia), Jose Antonio Pardo Lucas (Spain)

Midfielders: Souvik Chakrabarti, Harmanjot Singh Khabra, Vanlalpeka Guite, Gurnaj Singh Grewal, Saul Crespo (Spain), Mobashir Rahman, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Borja Herrera (Spain), Nandhakumar Sekar, Mandar Rao Desai

Forwards: Cleiton Silva (Brazil), Vp Suhair, Javier Siverio (Spain), Jesin Tk

East Bengal vs Punjab FC Live Streaming Info

East Bengal vs Punjab FC will be played at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan with the kick-off scheduled at 6:00 pm. The match can be watched live on Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD. It can also be live-streamed on the Sony LIV app and website.