Diamond Harbour FC booked their place in the Durand Cup 2025 final with a thrilling 2-1 victory over East Bengal FC in a high-voltage semifinal clash at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on August 20. The match was highlighted by a spectacular bicycle kick goal from Spanish player Mikel Kortazar that left fans and pundits stunned. With this victory, Diamond Harbour FC have reached their first-ever Durand Cup final and will now face NorthEast United FC on August 23. The upcoming final promises to be a fiercely contested battle as both sides chase the prestigious silverware.
Diamond Harbour FC player Jobby with an instinctive finish to put them in the lead once again.
Mikel Kortazar's bicycle kick gives Diamond Harbour the lead, but Anwar Ali's magnificent long shot into goal gives East Bengal the equaliser right away!
Match gets underway in Kolkata.
Teams have returned for the second half as Diamond Harbour begin to attack.
That is that. The end of the first-half as there is not much to separate the two sides. The scoreline remains 0-0.
Mahesh Dimi tries to create another opportunity in the 42nd minute but the cross goes wide of the target.
First half an hour ends without either sides breaking the deadlock. But East Bengal create a handful of chances. Is this a sign of things to come?
The scoreline remains at 0-0.
Brazillian mid-fielder Miguel Figueira squanders an opportunity as East Bengal creates a massive opportunity in the 14th minute of the contest.
Just a tiny recap of the events of the first semi-final: NorthEast United edged out Shillong Lajong 1-0, thanks to Redeem Tlang's goal in the first half.
Here's East Bengal's playing XI:
The match will kick off at 7:00 PM IST and shall be live streamed on Sony LIV App in India. The telecast of the same will be in Sony TEN 2 and Sony TEN 2 HD TV channels.
The second semifinal of the Durand Cup 2025 promises a thrilling clash between two teams with very different stories: traditional giants East Bengal FC and rising underdogs Diamond Harbour FC.
East Bengal come into this match full of confidence after a big 2-1 win over Mohun Bagan in the quarterfinals. It was their first top-level derby victory in over a year and ended Bagan’s 19-game unbeaten run at Salt Lake. Greek forward Dimitrios Diamantakos was the hero, scoring both goals for East Bengal. They’ll look to carry that energy into the semis and aim for a spot in the final.
Diamond Harbour FC, playing in their first Durand Cup, shocked everyone by beating ISL side Jamshedpur FC 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Known for their disciplined defense and smart counterattacks, they’ve earned the tag of tournament dark horses. A win here would be historic.
East Bengal will look to dominate with experience and crowd support at Salt Lake. Diamond Harbour will try to stay compact at the back and strike on the counter. A passionate Kolkata crowd is expected, making the atmosphere electric.
It’s a battle of legacy versus ambition. Will East Bengal book their place in the final, or will Diamond Harbour pull off another giant-killing? All will be revealed on August 20 under the floodlights of Salt Lake Stadium.
