Emami East Bengal moved a step closer to securing a knockout berth at the 134th Durand Cup with a narrow 1-0 win over Namdhari FC in a Group A encounter at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Moroccan forward Hamid Ahadad, making his debut for East Bengal, came off the bench to score the decisive goal in the 68th minute, handing the red-and-gold unit their second consecutive win in the competition.
The win helped East Bengal top the group with six points and a goal difference of plus six from two matches, while Namdhari remain in contention for the knockouts with two wins from three games.
After a goalless first half, sensing the need for a spark, East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon brought on Hamid for Dimitrios Diamantakos in the 61st minute. Hamid made an impact just seven minutes later, when Miguel Figueira’s corner found him unmarked at the far post.
The Namdhari goalkeeper misjudged the flight of the ball, and Hamid nodded home with ease to break the deadlock and open his account for the club, which eventually turned out to be the winner.
East Bengal continued to search for a second goal to seal the game. In the 87th minute, Chungnunga shot straight at the keeper, and in stoppage time, both Hamid and Anwar Ali saw their efforts from close range blocked in a melee.
Namdhari had a glimmer of hope late in the 84th minute when Kamal’s free-kick nearly found Dasilva, but East Bengal keeper Prabhsukhan Gill punched it away just in time, and the linesman flagged for offside.
Despite Namdhari’s spirited defensive effort and rare counterattacks, they couldn’t break through East Bengal’s backline led by Anwar and Martand Raina, and failed to produce a single shot. As the final whistle blew, East Bengal’s clinical edge and tactical discipline sealed well-earned three points.
In Kokrajhar, ITBP FT held Punjab FC to a goalless draw in a Group D match at the SAI Stadium. Punjab FC were wasteful in front of the goal, failing to convert their chances as ITBP showcased resilient defending to secure a hard-earned point.
Both teams have four points each from two matches and will now face Bodoland FC in their remaining group-stage games.
