Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 6 (ANI): East Bengal FC moved a step closer to securing a knockout berth at the 134th Durand Cup with a narrow 1-0 win over a resilient Namdhari FC in a tightly contested Group A encounter, here at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday.

Moroccan forward Hamid Ahadad, making his debut for the Red and Gold Brigade, came off the bench to score the decisive goal in the 68th minute, handing East Bengal their second consecutive win of the tournament, as per a press release.

East Bengal Head Coach Oscar Bruzon made four changes to his lineup from their previous match, handing starts to goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira, and Greek striker Dimitrios Diamantakos and Bipin Singh up front. Namdhari's Harpreet Singh, meanwhile, made two enforced changes, bringing in skipper Akashdeep Singh in defence and Manish Chaudhary in attack, as suspended defender Manbir Singh missed out.

The match kicked off with East Bengal taking immediate control, camping in the Namdhari half and creating chance after chance, only to be denied repeatedly by an inspired performance from Namdhari goalkeeper Niraj Kumar. In the 9th minute, Niraj was quick off his line to deny Diamantakos, and minutes later, intercepted a dangerous ball from Bipin Singh meant for Saul Crespo.

The barrage continued, with Mohammed Rashid's powerful 17th-minute strike forcing another save, before Miguel Figueira struck the post twice in quick succession, once with a long-range effort and once with a header, as Namdhari's goal led a charmed life.

A Crespo attempt from a Mahesh freekick in the 39th was again stopped by Niraj on reflex, before Miguel hit the crossbar a third time with a bullet header in the 42nd minute. Despite relentless pressure, Namdhari's deep defensive block held firm, and the score remained 0-0 at halftime, thanks in large part to Niraj Kumar's heroics and a bit of good fortune.

East Bengal resumed the second half in a similar fashion, dominating possession and looking for the breakthrough. Diamantakos had a weak shot saved in the 52nd minute before Namdhari's Dharmpreet Singh fired wide in their only real chance in the opening exchanges of the second half.

Sensing the need for a spark, Bruzon brought on Hamid Ahadad for Diamantakos in the 61st minute. The Moroccan made an instant impact just seven minutes later, when Miguel Figueira's corner found him unmarked at the far post. Niraj misjudged the flight of the ball, and Ahadad nodded home with ease to break the deadlock and open his account for the club.

East Bengal continued to search for a second goal to kill the game. In the 87th minute, Chungnunga shot straight at the keeper, and in stoppage time, both Ahadad and Anwar Ali saw their efforts from close range blocked in a crowded box.

Namdhari had a glimmer of hope late in the 84th minute when Kamal's free kick nearly found Dasilva, but East Bengal's keeper Gill punched it away just in time, and the linesman flagged for offside.

Despite Namdhari's spirited defensive effort and rare counterattacks, they couldn't break through East Bengal's backline led by Anwar Ali and Martand Raina, and failed to register a single shot. As the final whistle blew, East Bengal's clinical edge and tactical discipline sealed a well-earned three points.

The win sees East Bengal top Group A with six points and goal difference of +6 from two matches, while Namdhari remain in contention with two wins from three (six points and GD of +3), as two best second place teams in the group stage will make it to the quarterfinals. The Torch Bearers will face Indian Air Force FT in their final group game on August 10, 2025. (ANI)