NorthEast United Football Club's Durand Cup 2023 campaign came to an abrupt end at the semi-final stage after their loss to East Bengal Football Club on penalties at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
Michel Zabaco and Phalguni Singh had scored for the Highlanders on either side of the half-time to put the team in a commanding position, however, the home side fought back and leveled the score to take the game to penalties.
In the penalties, the East Bengal came up trumps to hand NEUFC 5-3 defeat. Juan Pedro Benali had made four changes to the side with Parthib Gogoi coming back into the first team, while Mohammed Ali Bemammer also got his first start for the club.
The match began on a cagey note with both teams looking to gain a foothold in the match. The visitors had slightly greater possession in the opening exchanges.
The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute with Zabaco heading home from a Phalguni cross to score his first goal for the club. Chances came for East Bengal to equalise but Mirshad Kottappunna and the entire NorthEast backline were up to the task at hand denying the Red and Gold in the first half.
In the second half, the lead doubled as Phalguni danced his way into the box and fired home a left-footed strike off the upright to score his second goal of the tournament.
That however did not dampen the spirits of Carles Cuadrat's side who pulled one back in the 77th minute through Mahesh Singh Naorem's shot deflecting in off Dinesh Singh.
The home side pressed for the equaliser and managed to get it through Nandhakumar Sekar in the seventh minute of injury time. In the shootout, Parthib failed to convert his spot kick while East Bengal scored all of theirs to send them through to the final.
