Sahal Abdul Samad's solo goal powers Mohun Bagan to register the derby win in the Durand Cup 2026
Antonio Lopez Habas lost his first derby as a coach
Mohun Bagan SG has secured first win in their Durand Cup 2026 campaign after defeating East Bengal FC in the high voltage Kolkata Derby. Sahal Abdul Samad scored the solitary goal for the Mariners as the ISL 2025-26 champions fell short against them.
Both teams have brought their all Indian XI in the game against each other, and in a high voltage match like this, after so long, there were no foreign players featured on the pitch in the starting line-up.
East Bengal FC named their three new players in the squad as Rohit Kumar, Rohit Danu and Sandip Mandi started the game for the Red and Gold Brigade. Talking about the Mariners, Rahul Bheke is the newest addition to the team, who was partnering up with Mehtab in the centre back position.
This is one of the games where we can call this a game of halves as Mohun Bagan played the best attacking football in the first half, but they scored the goal in the next half, and the boys of Antonio Lopez Habas played a great attacking transitional football in the second half, but fortune didn’t carry them in the game.
Mohun Bagan have the upper hand over East Bengal in the first 45 minutes
In the first three minutes going into the game, the Red and Gold and also Mohun Bagan had good chances to open their score sheet as Bipin Singh’s free kick went past the bar and Tekcham for the Green and Marron delivered a good cross, but the opponent’s defence denied that.
Sahal Abdul Samad missed a golden opportunity in the 18th minute of the game as he turned one player down, but East Bengal goalkeeper Gill was very alert as he stopped the low driven shot. Down the wings, Mohun Bagan was brilliant in the first half as they created ample amount of chances but lacked a good finishing output in the central areas.
Abhishek Tekcham played as an overlapping full back from the right zone, as he found Kiyan Nasiri to be the best attacking option, and Liston Colaco played in the left wing area while Manvir Singh acted like a proper mobile striker in the middle of the park. Time and time again, he played in the half spaces with Sahal, and another time he found himself in the wide areas to stretch out the widebacks of East Bengal.
Sahal’s shot from inside the penalty area was struck by Jeakson’s hand, but the referee denied a penalty in the 24th min with valid reasons. Mariners have created multiple chances through the wide areas.
Talking about East Bengal, the new arrivals looked very promising as Rohit Kumar and Jeakson Singh controlled the tempo of the game and Rohit Danu from the left wing linked up with midfielders and forward players. But one of the best players from the first half was Sandip Mandi, who just signed a contract with the Red and Gold as he played in a very solid defensive shape.
From the 35th minute, East Bengal looked very confident, creating many attacking situations, and not only in attack; they looked very strong on the defensive line.
Sahal sealed the victory while East Bengal fought till end
As Mohun Bagan ended their tone and play in the first half with multiple chances, they finally converted the golden chance as Sahal Abdul Samad scored the first goal for them in the 52nd minute of the play. A shattering ball in the midfield as both teams’ players fought for the ball, but Kiyan Nasiri got the ball and gave a beautiful lateral assist to Sahal, and despite all the chances Sahal had in the first half, he scored the opener.
East Bengal’s foreign midfielder MD Rashid came off the bench, and Mohun Bagan’s new recruit Dezan Drazic also made his first appearance in the 58th minute in the game. After their inclusion, the game looked different as both had added creativity to the teams. Dani Ramirez also made his first appearance for the Torchbearers in the 68th minute of the play.
After the arrival of Dani Ramirez and Rashid, East Bengal FC created multiple chances through the middle of the zone, and the Palestine midfielder also got a good chance as his shot just flew inches away from the bar. The Spanish player from Punjab FC hit the post in the 86th minute as PV Vishnu delivered a stunning cross and Ramirez clicked with his toe but missed the golden opportunity.
East Bengal lost the game as the historic record for Antonio Lopez Habas has been broken. The Spanish coach lost his first Kolkata Derby; he had never suffered a defeat when he managed the Mohun Bagan side in the Derby game.
What was the result of the Kolkata Derby in the Durand Cup 2026?
Mohun Bagan SG defeated East Bengal FC 1-0 in their opening match of the Durand Cup 2026.
Who scored the winning goal?
Sahal Abdul Samad scored the only goal of the match in the 52nd minute.
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Rohit Mistri is a sports journalist from Kolkata with over two years of experience in the field. He has extensively covered Indian football, including major tournaments such as the Calcutta Football League and the Indian Super League. His work spans on-ground reporting, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling, along with interviews of prominent sporting personalities. Rohit brings strong communication skills and a deep passion for sports narratives to everything he writes.