A revamped East Bengal, inspired by Greek striker and substitute Dimitrios Diamantakos' double strike, stunned archrivals Mohun Bagan 2-1 in a fiery Kolkata Derby to storm into the semifinals of the 134th IndianOil Durand Cup in Kolkata on Sunday.
Diamantakos, brought on as an 18th-minute substitute after Moroccan forward Hamid Ahadad limped off injured, turned out to be the gamechanger.
The 32-year-old first converted from the penalty spot in the 38th minute before doubling East Bengal's lead seven minutes into the second-half with a sharp finish that left the ISL champions' defence flat-footed.
Though Anirudh Thapa pulled one back with a stunning long-range strike in the 68th minute, East Bengal's resolute backline, held firm to script their first top-level Derby win over Mohun Bagan in more than 18 months.
With the victory, East Bengal set up a blockbuster semifinal clash against fellow Kolkata side Diamond Harbour FC in Kolkata on August 20. In the other semifinals, NorthEast United FC take on Shillong Lajong FC.
The debutants Diamond Harbour FC earlier shocked ISL outfit Jamshedpur FC 2-0 in Jamshedpur.
Defender Sairuatkima was the unlikely hero at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, striking twice in the first half (3rd and 41st minutes) to silence the home crowd and fire the Bengal outfit into the semifinals on their maiden appearance in the tournament.
For 16-time champions East Bengal, this was not just about progression in the Durand Cup but also about ending a painful run against their bitter rivals.
Since their 3-1 win in the Super Cup on January 19, 2024, they had lost four straight top-level
In the ISL, Mohun Bagan still remain unbeaten in 10 meetings (nine wins, one draw), but this Durand Cup triumph -- their first over Bagan since the CFL developmental league encounter -- was a revenge for the 2023 Durand Cup final defeat, where they lost 0-1.
The game lived up to its billing with full-blooded challenges, refereeing controversies and end-to-end action in front of a packed Salt Lake Stadium.
The drama began in the 26th minute when East Bengal thought they had scored from a quickly-taken free-kick, only for referee R Venkatesh to call it back.
Minutes later, Diamantakos had the ball in the net but was flagged offside. Soon after, appeals for a penalty when Edmund Lalrindika was brought down were waved away.
At the other end, however, Bagan were awarded a spot-kick after Asish Rai fouled Bipin Singh inside the box.
Diamantakos, calm under pressure, smashed it past goalkeeper Vishal Kaith to hand East Bengal the lead.
Oscar Bruzón's side, dominant in midfield carried the momentum after the restart.
In the 52nd minute, Diamantakos showcased his poacher's instinct again trapping a pass with his back to goal, spinning sharply, and firing home past Kaith with the help of a deflection.
The Mariners, stung and chasing the game, finally found their spark through Sahal Abdul Samad and Liston Colaco, who both went agonisingly close with Sahal seeing his effort cleared off the line while Liston rattled the crossbar.
Their persistence paid off when Thapa unleashed a thunderous drive from distance to pull one back.
The closing stages saw Mohun Bagan throw bodies forward, but East Bengal dug deep, surviving wave after wave of attacks to preserve their lead and spark wild celebrations among their fans.