Durand Cup 2025 Preview: East Bengal aim to keep up winning momentum against Namdhari FC

East Bengal sit second in the Durand Cup 2025 table.

East Bengal FC and Namdhari FC will face off in the upcoming Group A match of the Durand Cup 2025. The match will be played at Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday evening, August 6, at 19:00 IST. East Bengal had thrashed South United FC 5-0 in their first match.

On the other hand, Punjab’s Namdhari FC have registered two wins so far and are at the top of the group with six points. Both teams have been in excellent form, so the match is expected to be a great contest. Both coaches will be hoping to snatch three points from their teams.

Also Read:  Durand Cup 2025: Full fixtures, teams, groups & telecast details

Stakes:

East Bengal FC:

East Bengal FC started the tournament with a bang by defeating South United FC. The 5-0 win has given coach Oscar Bruzon relief about the starting setup. The team was assembled barely three days ago, yet there was clarity in their combination.

Lalchungnunga’s overlapping run in the first goal proved that the team’s defence can also contribute to scoring goals. Spanish midfielder Saul Crespo doubled the lead with a penalty. After this, Bipin Singh and Dimitros Diamantakos entered the field and added to the intensity. Both of them scored one goal each and completely deflated the opposition.

If East Bengal win this game, they will put themselves in a strong position in Group A and will take advantage of playing on home ground. The Kolkata air, the support of the home crowd and the legacy of the big club are in favour of East Bengal.

Namdhari FC

Namdhari FC are brimming with confidence after two consecutive wins. Their last match was against the Indian Air Force, in which the team won by a brilliant 4-2 margin. The team took the lead in the first half itself.

The goal scorers included Kledsan, Amandeep Singh, Dharampreet Singh and Lotjem. Their midfield is playing in rhythm, and they are constantly creating chances during attack. Scoring six goals in two matches gives a glimpse of the team’s attacking output and what we can expect from them.

The importance of this match is different for both teams. If Namdhari FC win, they can secure a place in the quarter-finals by topping the group. The team’s confidence is high, and the enthusiasm of the young players is clearly visible.

Team News:

East Bengal FC are set to have their full squad available for this game. Manbir Singh will miss this game for Namdhari FC after a red card in the previous game.

Head-to-Head Record

This will be the first-ever meeting between these two teams.

Predicted Lineups:

East Bengal:

Debjit Majumder, Anwar Ali, Lalchungnunga, Edmund Lalrindika, Mohamad Rakip, David Lalhlansanga, Naorem Mahesh, Martand Raina, Saul Crespo, Mohamad Rashid, PV Vishnu

Namdhari FC:

Niraj, Kamalpreet, Gurshan, Moro, Cledson, Bhupinder, Nimrat, Aman, Jaskaran, Degol, Aatma

Players to watch out for in this game:

Dimitrios Diamantakos (East Bengal FC):

Dimitrios Diamantakos will be the biggest hope for East Bengal FC in this match. He has given a hint of his form by scoring a goal against South United FC. This Greek striker, who won the 2023-24 ISL Golden Boot, is very dangerous in the box. His clinical finishing and positioning can cause trouble for the opposing defenders.

Cledson Dasilva (Namdhari FC):

Cledson Dasilva’s role has become more important for Namdhari FC now that Manbir Singh will not play in the next match. The Brazilian forward made his presence felt by scoring a goal and an assist against Indian Air Force FT. He makes quick decisions and does not delay in identifying the weaknesses of the defence.

Did you know?

• East Bengal FC, with 16 Durand Cup titles, is one of the tournament’s most successful teams, but they face a Namdhari FC side that has won both their 2025 group matches, including a 4-2 thriller against Indian Air Force FT
• Namdhari FC’s Cledson Dasilva, a key player to watch, scored a crucial penalty in their recent 4-2 win, but they’ll miss suspended Manbir Singh.
• The match at Kishore Bharati Krirangan marks East Bengal’s second Group A game after a 5-0 rout of South United FC, where Dimitrios Diamantakos, the 2023-24 ISL Golden Boot winner, added to his goal tally.

Telecast Details

The Durand Cup 2025 group game between East Bengal FC and Namdhari will be played on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, at the Kishore Bharati Krinangan. It will kick off at 7 PM IST. The match will be shown live on the Sony Ten Sports network and SonyLIV.

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