Durand Cup: Diamond Harbour stun East Bengal, end dream run in semi-final
The semi-final flipped in the 66th minute when Mikel Kortazar Idialkez, pouncing on a rebound, produced an acrobatic finish to put Diamond Harbour 1-0 up. The stunned Salt Lake crowd barely had a moment to digest the shock before Anwar Ali produced a thunderbolt from range in the very next minute to restore parity.It felt like the game was swinging back East Bengal's way. But football thrives on twists, and this tie had one more.Old faces, new heartbreaksDiamond Harbour, only months into existence, had built their game on discipline. Their goalkeeper Mirshad Michu—ironically once East Bengal's reserve and a part of NorthEast United's Durand Cup-winning squad last season—stood tall as their last line of defence. After Ali's equaliser, he returned to his inspired best, denying East Bengal again and again.Mohammed Rashid, the new fan-favourite in red and gold, tried to spark life with long-range attempts but lacked his usual spark. Miguel Figueira danced, shimmied, even rattled the crossbar, yet the breakthrough wouldn't come.And then came the cruellest dagger of all—delivered by another old flame. Joby Justin, once East Bengal's rising star but long since faded from their plans, seized his moment. His late strike sealed the 2-1 win for Diamond Harbour, knocking his former club out and etching his new side's name into Durand Cup folklore.For East Bengal, the run that had promised revival, that had sent their fans into dreamland after the derby win, ended in the bitterest of fashions. For Diamond Harbour, it was history made—a debut campaign already gilded with the scalp of Kolkata's oldest giant.- EndsMust Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
11 Players Still Missing From Khalid Jamil's First India Camp, Here's Why
Khalid Jamil faces player shortages at India camp for CAFA Nations Cup, with clubs still holding back 11 key names. Newly-appointed India men's football head coach Khalid Jamil has been left with only 25 of the 35 players he has called for his first national camp ahead of the CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India face co-host Tajikistan on August 29 in Hisor to kick off the tournament. The camp began on August 16 with 22 players. Three additional players — Jamshedpur FC's Manvir Singh and Albino Gomes and new addition Muhammed Uvais from Punjab FC — joined the camp on Monday to take the numbers to 25, but Uvais was not in the original 35. Hence, after five training sessions across almost a week, 11 players are yet to join it. Mohun Bagan Super Giant did not release seven players — Anirudh Thapa, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Vishal Kaith. They believe it was not mandatory to do so since the tournament doesn't fall under the FIFA international window. East Bengal lost their Durand Cup semifinal match on Wednesday but it is still not clear if and when their three players selected for the camp — Anwar Ali, Jeakson Singh and Naorem Mahesh Singh — will join the camp. NorthEast United have one player called up, Jithin MS, but the club has made it to the Durand Cup final to be played on Saturday. It needs to be seen how long after that he would be allowed to join the camp. Jamil is said to be keeping a keen eye on the Durand Cup, hoping the remaining players will be made available by their respective clubs. 'My doors are always open to every player. Some players may not be in the squad right now because I want to try a few other less-tested ones, but rest assured, we will bring our best available squad for the Asian Cup qualifiers," Jamil said. Meanwhile, there are four first-timers in the camp — defenders Uvais, Alex Saji, Sunil Benchamin, and forward Manvir Singh. Manvir, 24, said he has been waiting for this moment. 'I've waited six years to put on this jersey once again," he said in an All India Football Federation (AIFF) release. The last time he was a part of the national team setup was back in 2019, when he represented the India U19s in the AFC U19 Championship (now Asian Cup) Qualifiers. 'As a striker in India, I know how difficult it is to get a chance. I got that during the Durand Cup and gave my best," said Manvir. 'Now I feel like I have another chance, and I cannot afford to miss it. I have played under the coach (Khalid Jamil), and he knows my capabilities. I've just promised myself that if he gives me a chance, I have to take it, I must repay his trust." Army man Benchamin got his maiden national camp call-up at the age of 32. The last player from the Army to represent the Blue Tigers was forward Subir Sarkar 40 years ago. Meanwhile, Uvais' performance during the Durand Cup was enough to convince head coach Jamil. 'I think my performances with Punjab FC played a big role (in the call-up). It's surreal to be called up to the national camp. Back home, everyone is proud," he said. view comments First Published: August 21, 2025, 18:27 IST News sports 11 Players Still Missing From Khalid Jamil's First India Camp, Here's Why Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
25 players out of 35 probables training under Jamil in camp for CAFA Nations Cup
Last Updated: Bengaluru, Aug 21 (PTI) With Mohun Bagan Super Giant refusing to release their players, newly-appointed India head coach Khalid Jamil was left with 25 men out of the 35 he has called for the national camp ahead of CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The camp began on August 16 with 22 players but after six days and five training sessions, 11 players are yet to join it. Three players joined a few days ago, but one of them is not in the original 35. India face co-host Tajikistan on August 29 in Hisor in their opening match. Mohun Bagan Super Giant did not release their seven players — Anirudh Thapa, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Vishal Kaith — on the ground that it was not mandatory to do that since the tournament was not being held in the FIFA international window. The Kolkata giants did this despite bowing out of the Durand Cup on August 17. Jamshedpur FC players Manvir Singh and Albino Gomes — who were in the original 35 — as well as new addition Muhammed Uvais from Punjab FC joined the camp on Monday to take the numbers to 25. East Bengal lost their Durand Cup semifinal match on Wednesday but it is still not clear when the three players from the club — Anwar Ali, Jeakson Singh and Naorem Mahesh Singh — will join the camp, with just a few days left for the team's departure. Jithin MS is the lone NorthEast United player called up for the national camp and his club has made it to the Durand Cup final to be played on Saturday. Meanwhile, there are four first-timers in Jamil's camp of 25 players — defenders Alex Saji, Sunil Benchamin, Muhammed Uvais, and forward Manvir Singh. Jamil has kept a keen eye on the Durand Cup, hoping the remaining players will be made available by their respective clubs. 'My doors are always open to every player. Some players may not be in the squad right now because I want to try a few other less-tested ones, but rest assured, we will bring our best available squad for the Asian Cup qualifiers," Jamil said. Manvir, the 24-year-old forward, who has been called up for the first time, said he has been waiting for this moment for quite some time. 'I've waited six years to put on this jersey once again," he said in an All India Football Federation (AIFF) release. The last time he was a part of the national team setup was back in 2019, when he represented the India U19s in the AFC U19 Championship (now Asian Cup) Qualifiers. 'As a striker in India, I know how difficult it is to get a chance. I got that during the Durand Cup and gave my best," said Manvir. 'Now I feel like I have another chance, and I cannot afford to miss it. I have played under the coach (Khalid Jamil), and he knows my capabilities. I've just promised myself that if he gives me a chance, I have to take it, I must repay his trust." Army man Sunil Benchamin got his maiden national camp call-up at the age of 32. The last player from the Army to don the Blue Tigers jersey was forward Subir Sarkar exactly four decades ago. Full-back Muhammed Uvais, who earned a maiden national call-up, did not appear in the original list of 35 probables. However, his performance during the Durand Cup was enough to convince head coach Jamil. 'I think my performances with Punjab FC played a big role (in the call-up). It's surreal to be called up to the national camp. Back home, everyone is proud," he said. Goalkeeper Albino Gomes has undergone a national camp in the past. However, it has been nine years since the 31-year-old last attended it. PTI PDS PDS AH AH view comments First Published: August 21, 2025, 18:00 IST News agency-feeds 25 players out of 35 probables training under Jamil in camp for CAFA Nations Cup Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Mitch Marner's $96M Golden Knights move draws emotional response from Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews will miss Mitch Marner (Image via: Getty Images) Mitch Marner's blockbuster move to the Vegas Golden Knights has been one of the biggest NHL headlines of the summer. The former Toronto Maple Leafs star officially signed an eight-year, $96 million contract on July 1, ending his nine-season run in Toronto. While fans continue to process the departure, his longtime teammate Auston Matthews finally shared his thoughts, offering a heartfelt yet professional response. Auston Matthews breaks silence on Mitch Marner 's Golden Knights exit At the Hockey Night in Brampton charity event, Auston Matthews addressed Marner's exit for the first time. The Maple Leafs captain said, 'We'll obviously miss him, he's a great friend and great teammate. That's kind of the business side of it, that's tough, but wish him nothing but the best. We'll just keep it moving,' showing respect for his former linemate while preparing to lead Toronto into a new era. Marner, on the other hand, had no hesitation about his decision. He revealed that Vegas was very high on his list of preferred destinations and expressed gratitude for the opportunity. For the 28-year-old winger, the chance to join a Stanley Cup-winning franchise and settle into Nevada's thriving hockey atmosphere was simply too good to pass up. How Mitch Marner defined an era in Toronto During his nine-year tenure with the Maple Leafs, Mitch Marner cemented his place among the franchise greats. With 741 points in 657 games, he ranks fifth all-time in franchise scoring and consistently led Toronto in offensive production. Despite his impressive numbers and three NHL All-Star selections, Marner admitted it was 'very hard' to leave his hometown team without delivering a Stanley Cup. His emotional farewell post on Instagram reflected that regret, noting that representing Toronto was about community pride. Still, the allure of Vegas' winning culture and a fresh start proved decisive in shaping his future. Toronto Maple Leafs' path without Mitch Marner and Vegas Golden Knights' future with him While Vegas gains an elite playmaker in his prime, Toronto faces the challenge of filling a massive void. Nicolas Roy, acquired in the trade, adds depth, but the pressure falls on Matthews and the core to elevate their game. Despite a crushing playoff exit last season, Matthews remains optimistic, stressing that the bar remains high for the 2025-26 campaign. Also Read: Mike Sullivan's New York Rangers likely to test bold experiment with $68M forward Mika Zibanejad on wing beside J.T. Miller With Mitch Marner chasing a Stanley Cup in Vegas and Auston Matthews steering a reshaped Maple Leafs lineup, the 2025-26 NHL season is shaping up to be one of compelling storylines, renewed rivalries, and no shortage of drama. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
