NorthEast United 2-2 East Bengal Highlights, Durand Cup 2023 semifinal: EBFC wins 5-3 on penalties to go through to final

A comeback win for East Bengal as it reaches the Durand Cup final for the first time in 19 years. The NEUFC players are dejected. So close to its first ever final.

The red card and late equaliser in second half stoppage time took the game to penalties and the EBFC players kept their cool during the shoot-out to secure the win.

Nandha sends EBFC into the final!!

Pragyan scores!! High into the corner!

Mahesh scores!! Calm finish as he sends the keeper the wrong way. NEUFC need to score!!

Gill saves!! Partib with a weak shot to the left and Gill has an easy save to make. First miss of the shoot-out! Drama!!! Retake needed! Partib hits the bar and misses again!!

Borja scores!! Hits the side netting and Mirshad had no chance to get to it.

Gani scores! Another stop-start run-up and another goal. Sends the keeper the wrong way.

Crespo scores!! Crespo walks to the spot and calmly sends the keeper the wrong way. Ice in his veins!

Ibson Melo scores!! Into the top right corner to open NEUFC’s account in the shootout.

Cleiton scores! Mirshad guessed right but the penalty was too perfect for him to get his hand to it.

Both teams in a huddle before the do-or-die shootout. The players take their positions. Cleiton to take the first penalty.

We’re going to a penalty shootout!! The red card and late equaliser has completely changed the game. Spot kicks will now decide the team who will qualify for the final if the 2023 Durand Cup.

Nandha scores!! The initial shot from the right was saved expertly by Mirshad, but Cleiton puts the ball back in from the left and Nandha heads it in!

NEUFC 2 - 2 EBFC

Zabaco is off!! He was already booked and it was a challenge that prevents an EBFC counter. NEUFC are down to ten men.

Desperate challenges in the box by the NEUFC defenders. The midfielders find a way out from the box and there is a chance at a counter but the Partib stops his run just before the ball is played forward.

Six more minutes for EBFC to find an equaliser. Souvik brings down Thoi at the edge of the box and is shown a yellow for the shirt tug! Was very very close to the box that.

Borja’s pocket is picked by Partib who looks to counter but goes down. No foul says the referee. Looks like a bout of cramp for the NEUFC player.

8 minutes added at the end of the second half.

Rakip replaces Chungnunga in EBFC’s final change.

Nandha’s shot is saved at the neat post by Mirshad and Severio goes down in the box. Appeals for a penalty but referee waves play on. Replays suggest there was a tug of the shirt, but Siverio went down quite easily.

Mahesh looks to wriggle away from Dinesh but is tripped. Dinesh already on a yellow. Has to be careful for the remaining ten minutes.

Another cross into the box from EBFC. The first ball from the left, is slightly ahead of the forward. The second from Nandha is too close to the keeper who pouches it cleanly.

Philippoteaux and Bemammer are substituted out for NEUFC. Fresh legs in to protect the lead. Bora one of the players coming in.

Goal!! EBFC has one back! Mahesh’s shot from the edge of the box deflects off Dinesh and past the wrong-footed keeper. Great run from Crespo into the box before laying off to Mahesh. The shot looked to be on target before being deflected off Dinesh.

NEUFC 2 - 1 EBFC

A chance for a counter for EBFC after Gill comes out of the box to clear. Herrera and Mahesh combine well to find space and the latter’s shot is deflected for a corner.

Thoi plays it back to Philippoteaux at the edge of the box, but his shot is weak and straight at the keeper.

Mahesh looking to find a space to get a cross in from the left, Dinesh upto the task again as he blocks. The resulting corner comes to nothing.

A yellow for Siverio for a foul on Asheer.

Philippoteaux winds up after a searing run into the box. His shot is just past the left-hand post.

Manvir and Phalguni are replaced. Thoi and Gani come in for NEUFC.

A great cross into the box from the right wing. Three EBFC players waiting in the box but Dinesh does really well at the back post to head it away.

EBFC changing the system in search for a way back into the contest. But NEUFC are hanging in there controlling the ball in midfield. Not enough intensity in the East Bengal press.

More substitutions for EBFC. Gursimrat Gill replaces captain Khabra and Cleiton replaces Elsey.

Goal!! Phalguni scores! What a goal from the youngster. A lovely right footed cross in the first half to create the opener and now a left footed finish to the far post after cutting in from the right.

NEUFC 2 - 0 EBFC

Carles Cuadrat joins Benali in the referee’s book for dissent. A throw in for NEUFC after Mandar can’t keep the ball in play.

Mahesh does excellently well to find space down the left and cross, falls to Nandha who takes a touch and looks to score of his left but that gives the defence enough time to conjure up a block.

Ibson Melo replaces Nestor for NorthEast United.

Dinesh is shown a yellow card for an accumulation of fouls. Mahesh in the referee’s year to indicate that. Partib down in the opposite flank after a stray boot caught him but referee doesn’t blow for a foul.

Strong start to the half for EBFC. Naorem Mahesh with a good one-two with Siverio and gets a shot away. Easy catch for Mirshad in goal though.

EBFC get us underway, looking for an equaliser.

Souvik replaces Nishu and Borja Herrera replaces Pardo for EBFC.

Whistle blows! East Bengal with work to do in the second half after Zabaco’s 22nd-minute header gave the Highlanders the lead in the semifinal.

EBFC has had more shots and enjoyed more possession but NEUFC has done well to prevent any clear cut goal-scoring chances for East Bengal. Join us in 15 for the second half.

Quite a few hard but fair tackles coming in from NEUFC. The fans showing their displeasure at the tackles. Dinesh the latest to commit a strong on at the right touchline.

Siverio and Bemammer are down in a heap near the edge of the box. Foul is given NEUFC’s way and Siverio punches the ground in disagreement. Benali shown a yellow for his comments from the touchline.

4 minutes of added time.

Mahesh looks to tip-toe around the NEUFC defence. A solid challenge from Asheer to get the ball. Referee stops play as Mahesh is down in the box folllowing that tackle.

Mandar crosses one in from the left wing, Siverio gets his head on it, but it was too high for him to get any direction on the header. Goes out for a goal kick.

A short corner from Siverio finds its way back into box. Nandha does well to find a yard and sting the palms of Mirshad with a shot at the near post. Another one on target for EBFC.

Better spell of possession from EBFC after the break in play. Nishu had an opportunity to cross from the left but it was too high to create any issues for the NEUFC defence.

A long diagonal ball finds Partib in the box, but his cut back to the striker is intercepted and EBFC attempt a counter. Another long ball but Mirshad collects it in the box with ease.

NEUFC look to find Manvir in the box following a throw in from the left. Khabra does well to repel the danger. Goal scorer Zabaco is given a yellow for a foul on Siverio. Water break taken.

NEUFC not letting East Bengal get a consistent spell of possession. Pratib and Phalguni have done really well to maintain possession in the middle of the pitch. EBFC need to get the ball to the wingers quicker.

Goal!! Zabaco scores!! Beautiful ball in from Phalguni from the left wing after the corner was cleared. The curl on the cross helping Zabaco to direct it past the diving keeper and into the corner of the goal.

NEUFC 1 - 0 EBFC

Khabra puts a cross in from the right following a foul throw by Tondonba, but the cross is intercepted and cleared by the NEUFC defence. Unnecessary error by NEUFC leading to a crossing opportunity.

Mahesh does well to find a yard of space in the opposition box, puts a low cross across but it is straight at the defender who clears.

Mirshad dives low to his right to make the first save of the game. EBFC winning the ball high up and unleashing a shot. First shot on target in the game.

Nishu in acres of space down the left wing after a diagonal ball across. The cross is blocked though and EBFC has to settle for a throw-in.

Phalguni pressing Crespo hard in the box and the midfielder is livid with the young Indian. The assistant referee jumps in to stop the argument. Referee having a word with the two captains. Philippoteaux is given a yellow for dissent.

More control of possession from EBFC after settling into the game. Elsey plays a long ball over the top for Nandha. But he can’t keep it in play.

A cross into the box from the right wing is put out by Khabra for a corner. The attempted short corner is cut out by Mahesh who is fouled as he looks to counter.

Early foul on NEUFC captain Philippoteaux as Siverio looks to steal the ball high up the pitch. East Bengal give the ball away and Manvir’s shot following the counter is too high. First chance of the game.

East Bengal in its traditional red and gold kit, while NEUFC are in its white kit. NEUFC get us underway.

Credit - X @eastbengal_fc

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Carles Cuadrat and assistant coach Dimas Delgado celebrate after the quarterfinal win over Gokulam Kerala in the 2023 Durand Cup.

Credit - X @DimasDelgadoMor

NorthEast United: Mirshad (GK), Dinesh Singh, Asheer Akhtar, Miguel Zabaco, Tondonba Singh, Philippoteaux (C), Ali Bemammer, Parthib Gogoi, Phalguni Singh, Manvir Singh, Nestor Albaich

East Bengal: Gill (GK), Khabra (C), Nunga, Elsey, Mandar, Pardo, Saul, Nishu, Naorem Mahesh, Nandhakumar, Siverio

Emami East Bengal will look to continue its optimistic run under new coach Carles Cuadrat when it plays NorthEast United in the semifinal of the Durand Cup 2023 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Tuesday.

The Red-and-Gold brigade, which has finished in the bottom-three of the Indian Super League in the last three seasons, has found its Superman in Cuadrat, who had previously led Bengaluru FC to the ISL title in his previous stint in Indian Football.

East Bengal beat arch-rival Mohun Bagan Super Giant after four years and made its way to the quarterfinals as the Group A topper and then beat 2019 Durand Cup winner, Gokulam Kerala, to secure its spot in the final four.

If it beats NEUFC on Tuesday, it will qualify for the Durand Cup final after 19 years.

Read full preview here: East Bengal looks to end 19-year wait for Durand Cup final going up against NorthEast United

After a few unremarkable seasons, the NorthEast United’s performance graph is also on the ascendance as the side brings together a good mix of youth and experience. The team has done well under the new Spanish coach Juan Pedro Benali and one can expect them to put up a good show against the local favourite.

“We are playing in Kolkata against the home team, in front of their fans. And East Bengal is a team with quality players in all positions. We are here to represent our region and fight for our people,” Benali said ahead of his team’s most important test so far.

The arrival of Spanish coach Carles Cuadrat has infused a sense of purpose in East Bengal, which is already looking to put the disappointment of three disastrous seasons behind by putting up some powerful performances so far.

On its way to the semifinals, East Bengal beat its traditional rival and ISL champion Mohun Bagan Super Giant before getting past the former I-League winner Gokulam Kerala in the quarterfinals.

What makes the contest interesting is the fact that both East Bengal and NorthEast United are unbeaten so far in the season and will be putting their best efforts to find a place in the title round.

Emami East Bengal will be looking to continue with its resurgence when it meets a plucky NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) in the first semifinal of the 132nd Durand Cup, at the Salt Lake Stadium (VYBK), Kolkata, on Tuesday.

The live telecast of Durand Cup semifinals will be available on Sony Ten 2, while live streaming will be available on the Sony Liv app.

Welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the 2023 Durand Cup semifinal. East Bengal takes on NorthEast United today in the first semifinal at VYBK in Kolkata. Stay Tuned for all match updates and lineup info.