East Bengal have finally ended one of the longest trophy waits in Indian football, and they did it in the most dramatic way possible.
The Red and Gold Brigade defeated arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant 4-1 in the Durand Cup final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, securing their 17th Durand Cup title and ending a 22-year drought. The victory also took East Bengal level with Mohun Bagan’s record of 17 titles.
The biggest hero of the night was Edmund Lalrindika, whose first-half hat-trick transformed the Kolkata derby into a one-sided contest before the break.
Lalrindika Takes Centre Stage
Lalrindika produced one of the most memorable individual performances in a Durand Cup final.
Playing as the lone forward, he struck twice in the opening 22 minutes before completing his hat-trick just before half-time. His finishing, movement and ability to exploit spaces behind the Mohun Bagan defence repeatedly created problems for the defending side.
The performance turned Lalrindika into the undisputed star of the final and gave East Bengal the attacking spark they needed in the biggest match of the tournament.
East Bengal Strike Early
The final began with Mohun Bagan looking to establish possession, but East Bengal quickly turned the match in their favour.
Bipin Singh opened the scoring in the 10th minute, giving East Bengal an early advantage. Lalrindika then doubled the lead only two minutes later, putting Mohun Bagan under immediate pressure.
East Bengal continued attacking with purpose, and Lalrindika added another goal around the 22nd minute. Suddenly, the Red and Gold had built a 3-0 lead before the match had even reached the half-hour mark.
Mohun Bagan Briefly Fight Back
Mohun Bagan did manage to respond.
Manvir Singh pulled one goal back in the 33rd minute, giving the Mariners a brief opportunity to regain momentum. The goal reduced the deficit to two and appeared to offer a possible route back into the contest.
But East Bengal refused to let the momentum shift.
Lalrindika completed his hat-trick in the 44th minute, restoring the three-goal advantage and sending East Bengal into half-time with a commanding 4-1 lead.
Defensive Discipline Seals the Trophy
The second half was a very different contest.
With a huge advantage already secured, East Bengal adopted a more controlled approach. Mohun Bagan increased the pressure and made attacking changes, but East Bengal’s defensive organisation prevented the comeback the Mariners needed.
Goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill also played an important role, making key saves as Mohun Bagan searched for another goal. East Bengal remained dangerous on the counter while protecting their advantage.
The final whistle eventually confirmed a result that East Bengal supporters had waited more than two decades to celebrate.
A Trophy 22 Years in the Making
East Bengal’s previous Durand Cup triumph came in 2004, when they defeated Mohun Bagan 2-1 in the final. Since then, the club had endured a long wait to lift the historic trophy again.
That wait is now over.
The 2026 victory gives East Bengal their 17th Durand Cup crown, drawing them level with Mohun Bagan for the most titles in the competition’s history.
A New Chapter for the Kolkata Derby
The significance of the victory goes beyond the trophy.
East Bengal did not merely beat their biggest rivals—they overwhelmed them in a final, scored four goals and produced a performance that will be remembered by supporters for years.
For Lalrindika, the night could prove to be a career-defining moment. For East Bengal, it represents the end of a long wait and the beginning of a new chapter.
After 22 years, the Durand Cup is back in East Bengal’s hands. And they reclaimed it by beating the club they have shared one of Indian football’s fiercest rivalries with for generations.
