Durand Cup organisers will hope for a Mohun Bagan Super Giant win when the ISL champions take on FC Goa in the semi-final at the Salt Lake Stadium. With Emami East Bengal already in the final, a Bagan win on Thursday will ensure that Sunday's final clash will be a blockbuster. Something the organisers would like to see. But then FC Goa are no pushovers and have the wherewithal to play the party poppers.
The Manolo Marquez-coached 2021 Durand champions topped Group D in Guwahati, remaining unbeaten and scoring 15 goals so far in their campaign, including an impressive 4-1 win over Chennaiyin in the quarters.
Mohun Bagan on the other hand, suffered a reverse against East Bengal in the group stages to qualify second from Group A. An impressive 3-1 win over Mumbai City FC in their quarter final has reinstalled belief in the side.
Bagan will bank on their home support as 30,000 plus fans are expected to be in the stands rooting for their favourite team.
Bagan's new recruit Australia striker Jason Cummings said the quarter final win has done a world of good to the team's confidence.
“After defeating Mumbai we got back the much-needed confidence. So we are confident again to defeat Goa,” Cummings said.
United fight
East Bengal fans are accused of making racist taunts at North East United fans during Tuesday's semi-final clash. And on Wednesday, both clubs condemned such incidents and said "racism has no place in football". The All India Football Federation secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran also promised to "take up this matter.
