The Bengal News, Kolkata : In an electrifying Kolkata Derby at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, East Bengal FC routed arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant 4-1 to lift the prestigious 135th IndianOil Durand Cup. The victory marks the Red and Gold Brigade’s 17th Durand Cup crown, drawing them level with Mohun Bagan as the joint-most successful club in the tournament’s storied history. East Bengal FC produced a masterclass in attacking football to dismantle bitter rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant 4-1 in the final of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium). Spearheaded by a historic first-half hat-trick from winger Edmund Lalrindika, the Red & Gold Brigade ended a 22-year tournament drought while equaling Mohun Bagan’s all-time record of 17 Durand Cup titles.
East Bengal Thrash Mohun Bagan 4-1 to Claim 135th IndianOil Durand Cup / Photo : Sudip Chanda
The Red-and-Gold Brigade settled the contest in emphatic fashion, with Edmund Lalrindika scoring a sensational first-half hat-trick and Bipin Singh adding another goal. Mohun Bagan’s lone reply came through Manvir Singh, but it did little to halt East Bengal’s relentless assault. East Bengal’s victory was all the more remarkable given the backdrop to the final. Mohun Bagan had beaten their rivals 1-0 in the tournament opener, but East Bengal turned the tables when it mattered most, delivering a performance that will rank among the most memorable Kolkata Derby victories in Durand Cup history. Lalrindika was the undisputed star of the evening. His three goals in the opening half made him the first player to score a hat-trick in a Durand Cup Kolkata Derby, turning the final into a personal masterclass. Bipin’s early strike had already put East Bengal ahead before Lalrindika took over the contest. The four-goal onslaught gave East Bengal a commanding advantage before the interval. Although Manvir Singh pulled one back for Mohun Bagan, East Bengal remained firmly in control and went into the break with the momentum firmly on their side. Mohun Bagan attempted to mount a second-half comeback, but East Bengal’s disciplined defensive approach frustrated the Mariners. The final whistle confirmed a resounding 4-1 victory and an unforgettable triumph for the Red-and-Gold faithful. The title also carries enormous historical significance.
East Bengal Thrash Mohun Bagan 4-1 to Claim 135th IndianOil Durand Cup / Photo : Sudip Chanda
East Bengal entered the tournament with 16 Durand Cup titles, one behind Mohun Bagan’s record 17. The victory therefore brings the two Kolkata giants level on 17 championships apiece. For East Bengal, the triumph ends a 22-year wait for the Durand Cup and provides a spectacular response to their opening-match defeat against their oldest rivals. The club’s route to the final had already included a tense penalty-shootout victory over SC Delhi, with goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill playing a decisive role.
But nothing could have prepared Kolkata for the scale of the final-day statement. In a rivalry where every victory carries extraordinary emotional weight, East Bengal did not merely win the Durand Cup—they did it by dismantling Mohun Bagan on the grandest possible stage. The 4-1 scoreline will now take its place among the defining results of Indian football’s oldest rivalry, while Lalrindika’s hat-trick will be remembered as one of the great individual performances in the history of the Kolkata Derby.
