East Bengal FC booked their place in the AIFF Super Cup semifinals after holding arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant to a tense goalless draw in Goa on Friday night.
As both sides held five points each with just one win and two draws, East Bengal topped the group thanks to a superior goal difference, sending the Ganges side club back to Kolkata.
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Kamaljit, Hijazi stand firm as East Bengal beats Bagan
East Bengal played with more purpose and composure from the start, with sharper passing. Winger Bipin Singh came closest to scoring when his glancing header cannoned off the crossbar.
Just moments later, Moroccan striker Hamid Ahadad squandered a golden opportunity, but missed, dragging his effort wide.
Mohun Bagan’s best spell arrived midway through the second half. Around the 67th minute, Colaco’s goal-bound shot was blocked by Anwar Ali.
Minutes later, Jason Cummings lined up a free-kick from the edge of the box, but his strike slammed into the wall, and Colaco’s follow-up was again stopped cold. From the rebound, Cummings sent in another cross, but Tom Aldred’s header drifted wide.
Despite Bagan’s late push, East Bengal’s Aiban Dohling and Hijazi Maher held the defensive line with precision, while goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh pulled off several saves.
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East Bengal has now won two, drawn one, and lost one of the four Kolkata derbies, having beaten Mohun Bagan in both the CFL Premier Division and the Durand Cup, although they fell short in the IFA Shield final on penalties.
Meanwhile, at Bambolim, Dempo SC and Chennaiyin FC played to a 1-1 draw. Shubham Rawat curled in a beauty from a free-kick in the 25th minute before Chennaiyin goalkeeper Samik Mitra stunned everyone by scoring from his own half.
