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Dimitri Petratos scored a superb goal as Mohun Bagan Supergiants, playing with 10 men, beat arch-rivals East Bengal 1-0 in the final here on Sunday to win the Durand Cup football tournament title after 23 years. After sending off Anirudh Thapa in the 62nd minute, Mohun Baga had to play the rest of the match with 10 players. However, Petratos scored in the 71st minute to give Mohun Bagan the lead which proved decisive.
Australia’s Petratos single-handedly overcame the East Bengal defense on the counter-attack before hitting a powerful shot from 25 yards out. Meanwhile, East Bengal’s goalkeeper Prabhusukhan Singh Gill was a silent spectator. This is Mohun Bagan’s 17th Durand Cup title. The team last won the Durand Cup title in 2000 by defeating Mahindra United by a golden goal. East Bengal coach Carlos Quadrate made three changes in the last 10 minutes and Nishu Kumar, VP Suher and Edwin Vanshpol were brought on in an attempt to equalize but the team could not find the goal.
Mohun Bagan coach Juan Ferrando also strengthened his defense and gave eight players the responsibility to stop the East Bengal players, which they succeeded in doing. Anwar Ali in particular was exceptional in defence. East Bengal assistant coach Dimas Delgado was also seen arguing with Ferrande for which he was shown a red card during second half extra time.
East Bengal’s Edwin Vashpaul had a chance to open the scoring in the 86th minute but Cheta Anwar Ali tried to deny the opposition an equaliser. Mohun Bagan thus avenged their 1–2 defeat at the hands of East Bengal in the 2004 Durand Cup final. East Bengal’s wait to win a national level title has been dragging on for over 11 years. The last national title the team won at the senior level was the Federation Cup in 2012.