Kolkata Clash Reloaded: The Red And Gold Brigade Face Debutant Diamond Harbour FC in Durand Cup Semi-final!

Another Kolkata clash is on the horizon as East Bengal FC set to face debutant Diamond Harbour FC in the 134th edition of the Durand Cup semi-final. The fixture is scheduled for tomorrow at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, with kick-off set for 7:00 PM.

East Bengal FC step into the the momentum of their recent Kolkata Derby victory, a win that has injected confidence and belief into the Red and Gold camp. On the other hand, Diamond Harbour FC have been the surprise package of the tournament, scripting history by reaching the semi-final in their debut season after overcoming ISL team Jamshedpur FC with a dominanting 2–0 win.

Team News:

Diamond Harbour FC’s head coach Kibu Vicuna confirmed that striker Clayton Silveira is still unavailable as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Apart from that, DHFC have no fresh injury or suspension concerns, giving Kibu the flexibility to field his consistent XI.

For East Bengal FC, forward Hamid Ahdad got forced change in the previous fixtures due to an injury, he is available for tommorow, but not expected that he will be included in the starting eleven. The Red and Golds also carry a booking concern, head coach Oscar Bruzon hinted that defenders Rakip and Lalchungnunga, foreigners Diamantakos, Miguel, Saul Crespo, and Souvik Chakraborty are all on a yellow card, meaning another caution in the semi-final would rule them out of the potential final. Before the Kolkata Derby, Basim Rashid had to fly back to Palestine following the passing of his father. His return to the squad for the semi-final still remains uncertain, and the coach did not disclose anything about Rashid’s availability.

Ahead of the game, Kibu Vicuna underlined the unpredictability of football, saying that it is always eleven versus eleven and that anything can happen. He stressed the importance of respecting both the opponent’s East Bengal FC with rich legacy and his own team’s journey. Kibu Vicuna acknowledged that facing giants like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal FC in Kolkata is always a big challenge. But he reminded that Diamond Harbour FC are in the semi-final for a reason, and they too deserve respect for the journey they’ve made.

From the East Bengal FC camp, Oscar emphasized the importance of consistency. He mentioned that he wants to keep the team’s rhythm intact, preferring not to rotate too much in order to maintain the strong bonding within the squad.

East Bengal FC and Diamond Harbour FC Coaches View:

Toughest group, debut campaign, yet a semi-final spot! Kibu believes Diamond Harbour FC are growing stronger every game!

“This is very important for us because our objective for this season is to play I-League and to be promoted in the ISL, so this competition is very important for us to see in which level we are. We have the toughest group, played against three ISL clubs and also again going to play against an ISL team in the semi-final. We are very happy we are in the semi-final in our first Durand Cup appearance, because we did good. We are trying to do our best to play a good game tomorrow for a better result. It’s a big challenge, they have a good team, coach’s football style is very good, but also we are growing.” Said Kibu Vicuna.

Oscar: We prepare so our players know the game, the opponent, and how to control the key areas!

“We plan and we prepare the game, trying to get the max to the best, to analyze the opponent and to give the confidence to our players that when they come to the pitch, they absolutely know the game idea, the characteristics of the players and what are the areas that we need to control, to meet and to neutralize the opponent in the case of game time. We have enough information watching their games in the CFL, our coaches are very well for their performances and also the information that we got in the Durand Cup. They combine good performances. Actually, most of them good performances.” said Oscar Bruzon.

For Diamond Harbour FC, tomorrow’s semi-final represents a dream opportunity to etch their name in history in their very first Durand Cup campaign. For East Bengal FC, it is about carrying their derby-winning momentum into another major battle and pushing closer to reclaiming the prestigious Durand Cup crown. Kolkata is set for another electric night under the Salt Lake floodlights.