For a young footballer, opportunity rarely announces itself. It arrives disguised as a moment, and what matters is not its size but what a player does with it. At this year's Durand Cup, eleven young footballers have been making those moments count.
East Bengal held their nerve in a penalty shootout to beat a resolute SC Delhi 5-3 after a goalless regulation-time stalemate and reach the Durand Cup final on Wednesday.
Defending champions NorthEast United FC will take on 17-time winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the second semifinal of the Durand Cup in Shillong on Thursday.
East Bengal's defensive resilience will be tested by SC Delhi's free-flowing attack when the two sides clash in the first semifinal of the Durand Cup on Wednesday.
SC Delhi produced a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat debutants FC Raengdai of Manipur 5-1 on Sunday and set up a semifinal clash against Kolkata heavyweights East Bengal in the Durand Cup.
East Bengal vs Indian Army, Durand Cup 2026: A brilliant headed goal by PV Vishnu saw East Bengal beat Indian Army FT 1-0 in their quarter-final encounter in Kolkata.
Fresh from their comeback win over Al Arabi in the AFC Champions League Two qualifying play-off, East Bengal now turn their attention to the Durand Cup quarterfinals
Indian Super League champions East Bengal and arch rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant face each other to kickstart the Durand Cup football tournament and re-ignite the country's oldest rivalry on Saturday.
The 135th edition of the prestigious Durand Cup will commence with the staging of one of Indian football's greatest rivalries as record 17-time champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant take on 16-time winners East Bengal FC in the opening fixture.
The Durand Cup football tournament this year will feature 24 teams, including seven debutants, with matches to be played across five cities from July 25 to August 23.
Defending champions NorthEast United FC dished out a dominant performance to thrash debutants Diamond Harbour FC 6-1 in the grand finale of the 134th Durand Cup.