East Bengal face debutants Diamond Harbour in Durand Cup semifinal

East Bengal meet debutants Diamond Harbour FC in the Durand Cup semifinal on Wednesday at Salt Lake Stadium. Both sides enter with strong momentum, promising a thrilling battle for a place in the final

Hyderabad: A resurgent East Bengal will take on tournament debutants Diamond Harbour FC in a highly anticipated semifinal of the 134th IndianOil Durand Cup, scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata.

East Bengal sealed their last-four berth after a 2-1 derby win over Mohun Bagan, while debutants Diamond Harbour stunned ISL side Jamshedpur FC 2-0 in the quarterfinals to script history.

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Under Spanish coach Oscar Bruzon, East Bengal have rediscovered confidence and tactical sharpness. The derby win, courtesy of substitute Dimitrios Diamantakos’ brace, ended an 18-month wait for a senior Kolkata Derby triumph, boosting their title hopes.

The Red and Gold Brigade were unbeaten in the group stage, scoring emphatic wins over South United FC (5-0), Namdhari FC (1-0), and Indian Air Force (6-1), topping Group A with nine points.

For Diamond Harbour FC, their debut has been a dream run. They began with a dramatic 2-1 win over Mohammedan SC, demolished Border Security Force 8-1, and despite a heavy 1-5 defeat to Mohun Bagan, progressed as one of the best second-placed teams. In the quarterfinals, Sairuatkima’s first-half double powered them to a stunning win at Jamshedpur’s Furnace.

With East Bengal eyeing another shot at silverware and Diamond Harbour riding on fearless momentum, the semifinal promises high drama at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium.