East Bengal?s Douglas Da Silva tries an aerial push through the JCT defence in their semi-final tie in New Delhi on Monday. Picture by Rajesh Kumar

New Delhi: East Bengal will face arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the final of the Durand Cup. In the second semi-final on Monday, the red-and-gold brigade struggled to beat a spirited JCT 1-0.

Right back Syed Rahim Nabi scored the match-winner in the 71st minute to take the glamour outfit to their third successive Durand final and the 26th overall. The final will be played on Wednesday.

However, Nabi will miss the final having seen two yellow cards.

A minute before he scored the winner, he was booked for elbowing JCT midfielder Bimal Barwa.

This was his second yellow following the one he received in the 4-0 win over Sporting Clube de Goa.

The goal itself was a classic. Habibur Rehman Mondal took a long throw from the right, aiming for Douglas da Silva.

The JCT back four concentrated on foiling Douglas and Ernest Jeremiah.

But Nabi, who was lurking nearby, out-jumped the defenders to nod home with JCT?s Nigerian goalkeeper Ibrahim Ajaani caught in no man?s land.

Scoring chances were limited in this hard fought encounter.

JCT?s Nigerian stopper Julius Akpele bottled up Jeremiah and allowed him little space to run at goal. The Phagwara midfielders Sukhwinder Singh and Sukhjinder Singh also moved fast to close down Douglas, preventing him from dominating the midfield. With Alvito D?Cunha and Shylo Malswamtluanga looking sluggish, East Bengal lacked thrust upfront.

However, the red-and-gold back four held firm. The only setback was an injury to Dipak Mondal, who injured his knee during a challenge with an overlapping Harpreet Singh. Dipak is doubtful for the final.

JCT also had a setback when striker Harvinder Singh fractured his wrist after colliding with Madhab Das.

With Harvinder out, the Phagwara team also lacked firepower.

In-form Rajat Ghosh Dastidar, preferred to India?s first choice goalkeeper Sangram Mukherjee, once again did a good job under the East Bengal bar. Rajat made some fine saves to deny JCT strikers Manjit Singh and Sukhjinder in the closing stages of the match.

TEAMS

East Bengal: Rajat Ghosh Dastidar, Syed Rahim Nabi, Dipak Mondal (Debjit Ghosh 36), Selwyn Fernandez, Madhab Das, Habibur Rehman Mondal (Akshay Das 86), S. Malsawmtluanga, Douglas da Silva, Chandan Das (Sandip Das 79) Alvito D?Cunha and Ernest Jeremiah.

JCT: Ibrahim Ajaani, Jagjit Randhawa, Harpreet Singh, Julius Akpele, Jaspal Singh, Baldeep Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Sukhjinder Singh, Bimal Barwa, Harvinder Singh (Hardeep Gill 38, Jaswinder Singh 78), and Manjit Singh

Referee: Benjamin D?Silva