Diamond Harbor FC produced the biggest surprise of the Durand Cup 2025 when the debutant reached the final by beating the Kolkata Giant East Bengal with 2-1 in the second semifinal in the Salt Lake Stadium here on Wednesday.
The I-League 2 champion DHFC, which defeated the former Indian Super League Shield winner Jameshedpur FC in the quarterfinals, continued his momentum to hit twice in the second half and sailed in the top collision.
It will take on title defender Northeast United FC on Saturday at the same location on Saturday.
The Spanish defender Mikel Kortazar opened the score with a spectacular overhead volley in the 66th minute, but East Bengal canceled the lead a minute later via defender Anwar Ali.
DHFC then silenced a partisan crowd of around 25,000 Eastern beams fans in the 83rd minute when Jobby Justin tapped the winner against his former side, after the fault of Prabhsukan Gill in catching the ball.
Despite getting an extra time of eight minutes, East Bengal could not find any other equalizer against a defensive DHFC.
The Kolkata Derby victory against arch-rival Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the quarterfinals seemed to have a meaningful effect on its energy, but this time East Bengal struggled to re-create the strong performance.
The opening half ended infertile because both opponents enjoyed many opportunities, but could not convert it.
The Greek striker Dimitrios Diamantakos of East Bengal seemed to have left his scoring boots at home, because he repeatedly remained off-target despite getting at least four scoring opportunities.
In the meantime, the Brazilian playmaker Miguel Ferreira hit the woodwork in the 79th minute and missed a chance to help East Bengal with 2-1 when the score was 1-1. He had previously missed the goal by a mustache hair in the 15th minute.
On the other hand, after DHFC Centrum-Back Kortazar had found the net, Anwar gave the fans of East Bengal to adjust something with a brilliant equalizer from a long distance, who beat the goalkeeper of the opposition, Mirshad Michu, everything.
But it was a former man from East Bengal, Justin, who arrived at the right time in the right place to hit diamonds in the port of East Bengal and to seal a ticket to the final.
Match -Result
Diamond Harbor FC 2 (Kemel Cortazar 66, Jobby Justin 83) BT Emami East Bengal 1 (Anwar Ali 67).
Published on August 20, 2025
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(967x555:969x557)/Sachia-Vickery-tennis-082025-6abcc00cba974621a310d81e968255fd.jpg?w=238&resize=238,178&ssl=1 "La estrella de Sachia Vickery Tennis solo defiende la cuenta de los fanáticos: « El dinero más fácil »")
