Durand Cup 2025: East Bengal Edge Past Namdhari, Move Closer to Knockout Stage
East Bengal FC defeated Namdhari FC 1-0 in the Durand Cup, courtesy of debutant Hamid Ahadad’s goal. With this win, East Bengal now leads Group A with six points, having dominated possession despite Namdhari’s solid defensive efforts.
East Bengal FC took a major stride towards securing a spot in the knockout rounds of the 134th edition of the Durand Cup, clinching a hard-fought 1–0 win against a gritty Namdhari FC side in a Group A encounter at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday.
Making his debut for the Red and Gold brigade, Moroccan striker Hamid Ahadad came off the bench to net the match-winner in the 68th minute, marking a memorable first outing. This was East Bengal’s second straight win in the tournament, placing them at the top of Group A with six points and a healthy goal difference of +6.
Head coach Oscar Bruzon made four changes from the previous game, starting goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira, Greek forward Dimitrios Diamantakos, and winger Bipin Singh.
Namdhari FC, facing suspension-related issues, made two enforced changes. Captain Akashdeep Singh returned to strengthen the defence, while Manish Chaudhary replaced the suspended Manbir Singh in the attacking line-up.
East Bengal Dominate Possession, But Goals Hard to Come By
Right from kick-off, East Bengal enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, forcing Namdhari to sit deep in their own half. However, goalkeeper Niraj Kumar delivered a stellar performance to keep the favourites at bay. In the 9th minute, he swiftly came off his line to deny Diamantakos, and moments later, intercepted a dangerous low cross from Bipin Singh, cutting off another big opportunity.
Midfielder Mohammed Rashid fired a powerful shot in the 17th minute, which was parried away, while Miguel Figueira struck the post twice—once from long range and once with a header. In the 39th minute, Niraj blocked Saul Crespo from point-blank range, and watched as Miguel hit the crossbar once more with a fierce header.
Despite East Bengal’s continuous attacking play, Namdhari’s deep defensive structure—combined with Niraj’s brilliance—ensured the score remained 0–0 at the break.
Substitute Ahadad Finds the Winner
East Bengal came out with the same attacking intent in the second half, hunting desperately for the breakthrough. After another attempt from Diamantakos was saved and a rare counter-attack saw Dharmpreet Singh shoot wide, Bruzon made a tactical substitution, bringing on Hamid Ahadad in the 61st minute.
The Moroccan striker made an immediate impact. In the 68th minute, Miguel Figueira delivered a corner kick that Niraj Kumar misjudged, allowing Ahadad to head the ball into the net unchallenged at the far post.
East Bengal kept pushing for a second goal, but Namdhari stayed compact and avoided conceding further. With this win, East Bengal now have six points from two matches and are in full control of their qualification chances.
Namdhari, with six points from three matches and a goal difference of +3, are still in the race and could advance as one of the two best second-placed teams in the group stage.
