Emami East Bengal qualified for the Durand Cup final for the first time in 19 years after beating NorthEast United FC 5-3 on penalties at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Tuesday.

Michel Zabaco got NorthEast into the lead in the 22nd minute when he headed in a cross from Konsam Phalguni Singh, from the left wing, past the keeper and into the corner of the goal.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Phalguni Singh then added a second after half-time to double the lead, cutting in from the right wing and curling a shot into the far corner.

Naorem Mahesh Singh pulled one back for East Bengal after his shot, following a cut-back from Saul Crespo, deflected in off NEUFC defender Dinesh and past a wrong-footed keeper into the back of the net.

Zabaco received a second yellow in second-half stoppage time and East Bengal equalised soon after, with Nandhakumar Sekar heading a Cleiton Silva cross in the sixth minute of injury time.

East Bengal then scored five out of five in the penalty shootout with Partib Gogoi’s miss in the third kick taking the Red and Gold Brigade to the final.

More to follow…