Durand Cup 2023 Preview: Mohun Bagan SG face city rivals East Bengal in Kolkata Derby

Both teams are unbeaten in the Durand Cup

The first Kolkata Derby of the 2023–24 Indian Football season is set to take centre stage at the Durand Cup 2023 group stages when Mohun Bagan Super Giants meet rivals East Bengal on August 12. This will mark their final game of the Durand Cup group stages, but there are a lot of stakes riding on it.

Since their Indian Super League (ISL) playoff title win last season, the Mariners have been flying high and have made some major acquisitions in the summer transfer window. East Bengal, on the other hand, are looking to find their feet under new manager Carles Cuadrat.

Pressure will be at fever pitch for both the Kolkata giants as they aim to earn bragging rights for their fans by winning this derby. It might not be a final, but when the two teams take centre stage at the Salt Lake Stadium, it will be nothing like a ‘group’ game and more like a war between two of Indian football’s most prominent teams.

The Stakes

Mohun Bagan SG

The Mariners have already booked their tickets into the Durand Cup knockout stages, but they will absolutely love the prospect of potentially ending their rivals’ journey. Even though they are not likely to play their strongest XI in this, a number of Mohun Bagan first-team stars should still feature.

Juan Ferrando knows the importance of the Kolkata Derby and will urge his side to treat it like a final. A win for Mohun Bagan can improve their momentum heading into the AFC Cup qualifying games while also improving the fan mood. However, a loss can be a setback before those matches and create tension within the camp. The Mariners will play to win this derby because they know how important it is for the fans and the soul of the club to oust their rivals.

East Bengal

East Bengal’s journey under Cuadrat went off to a bumpy start when they drew their opening Durand Cup game against the Bangladesh Army side. Despite taking a two-goal lead, they conceded two very late goals. That kind of sloppiness can cause disaster for Mohun Bagan.

This match is actually a perfect challenge for the new East Bengal side to prove their might. A lot of players could be playing for their future and also to make a statement to the gaffer. It’s been over four years since the Red & Gold Brigaders won the Kolkata Derby and gave their fans some joy.

As a result of that, a lot of pressure will be on the East Bengal players to break that barren run. They’ll need to treat this game as a final and as a stepping stone to gain momentum in the Durand Cup, knowing how crucial a win can be to improving their chances of going far into the tournament.

Injury & team news

Mohun Bagan have registered new signings Jason Cummings and Armando Sadiku into their Durand Cup squad before this game. They have a clean bill of health, without injury issues, with every player available for the derby after the recent win over Punjab FC.

East Bengal will be without defender Nishu Kumar, who was sent off in the last game.

Head-to-Head

Over 380 matches have taken place between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal in their coveted history. With that being said, they have met each other on 20 occasions in the Durand Cup since their first meeting in the competition way back in 1957.

In the Durand Cup clashes, East Bengal holds the edge, having won eight of those games as compared to the Mariners’ seven. The last time they met in the Durand Cup was last year when Mohun Bagan prevailed with a narrow 1-0 win.

Predicted Line-ups

Mohun Bagan SG (4-2-3-1)

Vishal Kaith (GK), Asish Rai, Anwar Ali, Brendan Hamill, Subhashish Bose, Glan Martins, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Manvir Singh, Hugo Boumous, Liston Colaco, Dimitri Petratos

East Bengal (4-2-3-1)

Prabhsukhan Gill (GK), Mohammed Rakip, Jordan Elsey, Lalchhununga, Mandar Rao Dessai, Hamanjot Khabra, Saul Crespo, VP Suhair, Nandhakumar Sekar, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Javier Siverio

Player to watch

Manvir Singh (Mohun Bagan SG)

One player who has started the new season really brightly for Mohun Bagan is their forward Manvir Singh, who is taking the Durand Cup by storm. He scored one and contributed two assists in the win over the Bangladesh Army side, and he also blew away Punjab with an electric outing. He already has a few assists and a goal in the Durand Cup and looks like a real livewire on the frontline for his side.

Singh will aim to torment the relatively newly-stitched East Bengal backline with his speedy runs, link-up play, and physicality. He’ll aim to get into the clever empty spaces in the final third and test Gill’s might with powerful shots on goal. Manvir has a lot of momentum on his side heading into this derby and will aim to make good use of his form to run riot in the opposition half.

Javier Siverio (East Bengal)

Javi Siverio had a sizzling start to his East Bengal career by scoring a predatorial strike in the draw against the Bangladesh Army. He looked very lively with his clever movement in the final third and seems to have that unpredictability in his style.

Siverio will have a lot of responsibility on his shoulders to unnerve the Mohun Bagan defenders and break their shape. He’ll also need to be at his ruthless best, finishing any chances he gets, be they from open play or set pieces. The ex-Hyderabad FC star has that knack for scoring goals out of nothing, which is exactly what he’ll need to bring to the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday to win the derby for his side.

Did you know?

• The last time East Bengal met Mohun Bagan in a Durand Cup final was back in 2004, when they won the game 2-1. They’ve yet to win the tournament since then.
• Mohun Bagan are yet to concede in the 2023 Durand Cup, having kept two clean sheets in as many games.
• As many as six players could be making their Kolkata Derby debut in the upcoming Durand Cup clash.

Telecast

The Durand Cup clash between Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal will take place on August 12 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. It will kick off at 4:45 PM IST and be telecast on the Sony Sports Network. Live streaming will be available on Sony Liv and Jio TV.

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