Super Cup 2025-26: Dempo scores late equalizer to force 2-2 draw against East Bengal

Dempo SC fought hard and scored a late equalizer to win a 2-2 draw against East Bengal in the opening match of the 2025-26 Super Cup at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim on Saturday.

East Bengal started on the up front but failed to capitalize on their dominance and it was Dempo who made the breakthrough in the 27th minute.

The goal came from a set-piece. A ball floated into the penalty area and Debjit Majumder came off his line to punch the ball away. However, he misjudged the flight of the ball and was unable to make contact with it. Mohamed Ali got the ball and made no mistake putting it into the net from close range.

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The Golden Eagles held their slim lead until the halftime whistle.

East Bengal had a golden start to the second half, finding the equalizer within 33 seconds of the starting whistle. A shot came in from the left side of the box and Dempo keeper Ashish Sibi could only parry the ball to Mahesh Naorem Singh, who smashed the ball into the net with a headed effort.

Oscar Bruzon’s men took the lead in style in the 57th minute. Miguel Ferreira scored a potential goal of the tournament when he bounced onto the ball from a tight angle on the left. The ball flashed past Sibi and rattled the net as the East Bengal players erupted in jubilation.

But just like in the first half, the Calcutta giants failed to capitalize on their dominance.

Mahesh came close to scoring when his curling effort hit the crossbar and got back into play, but apart from that, East Bengal failed to create clear-cut scoring opportunities.

In the 89th minute, Laximanrao Rane punished East Bengal with a well-placed shot from the edge of the box, giving the Golden Eagles a point.

Published on October 25, 2025