East Bengal vs Gokulam Kerala Highlights, Durand Cup 2023: EBFC 2-1 GKFC at FT, EB reach semifinals

East Bengal 2-1 Gokulam Kerala: Live coverage ends

it's festive atmosphere in half of Kolkata as East Bengal reach first semifinal in four years! An opening minute goal by Jordan Elsey, followed by second half own goal by Aminou Bouba, takes East Bengal to the semis. They will now face NorthEast United in the semis at this very venue! But two semis are yet to be played as Chennaiyin FC take on FC Goa in the third quarterfinal in Guwahati. Our correspondent will bring you all the updates from the game. This is your host Aditya K Halder, signing off for now!

FT| And we march into the semi-finals of the #DurandCup! 🤩#JoyEastBengal #EmamiEastBengal #EEBFCGKFC pic.twitter.com/UktPoNLrTJ

— East Bengal FC (@eastbengal_fc) August 25, 2023

East Bengal vs Gokulam Kerala, Durand Cup Live: EBFC 2-1 GKFC at FT

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Huge celebrations in the crowd!

East Bengal players approach the stand to celebrate the win with the fans as more fans showed up with the rain turning into light shower!

East Bengal 2-1 Gokulam Kerala at FT

Huge celebration among the coaching staff of East Bengal as Carles Cuadrat keeps the Kolkata giants on track for their first trophy in five years!

Full Time!

The referee blows the final whistle amid a loud cheer from the crowd! East Bengal are through to the Durand Cup 2023 semifinals!

Late counter by Gokulam!

90+5' Gokulam manage to build an attack which results in an early cross from the right. Shijin heads the ball inside the box but off target!

Cleiton misses glorious chance!

90+2' Prabhsukhan fires a long ball from the back and it clears the entire field to reach the other box! Cleiton was the first to reach and he goes in for a diving header but off target!

East Bengal vs Gokulam Kerala, Durand Cup Live: EBFC 2-1 GKFC

90+1' Six minutes of stoppage time added!

Vanspaul shoots on target!

90+1' The EBFC midfielder gets a loose ball outside the box and fires it to the goal but the shot goes straight to the keeper for a save! Meanwhile Gokulam Kerala win a corner on the other end following a counter-attack!

Freekick for East Bengal!

89' Noarem Mahesh Singh is fouled 40 yards from the goal by defender Nidin Krishna. A good freekick opportunity for East Bengal!

Double change by East Bengal!

85' East Bengal use all their substitution as Mandar Rao Desai and VP Suhair join play in place of Nishu and Crespo! Bouba is taken off for Kerala and is replaced by Naro Hari Shrestha

EBFC 2-1 GKFC

83' East Bengal are trying to see out the closing minutes they are calmly keeping possession through lateral passing while hoping that Gokulam will make a mistake in urgency!

Durand Cup 2023 Live Updates: East Bengal 2-1 Gokulam Kerala

A taste of Spanish football by East Bengal as the goal comes from a slow build up. Mahesh kept hold of the ball on the left flank, allowing Nishu to overlap and recieve the ball. The left-back fired in a powerful cross which touched Aminou Bouba's head before going into the goal. Saul Crespo claims the last touch was his. Nevertheless a goal for East Bengal!

GOOOOALLLLLL!

77' Crespo puts East Bengal back in the lead!

East Bengal vs Gokulam Kerala, Durand Cup Live: EBFC 1-1 GKFC

75' Two more changes by Gokulam as Alex Sanchez and Abhijith are taken off for Shijin and Rahul Raju. The momentum of the game has died down due to so many changes and stoppages

Yellow card for Aminou Bouba!

70' The Gokulam Kerala elbows Cleiton during a duel and deservingly sees yellow! Meanwhile a change by Gokulam as Noufal joins play in place of Komron Tursunov

Another change by East Bengal!

68' Cleiton Silva joins play in place of Javier Siverio! East Bengal need fresh ideas in the creative third as Gokulam are able to read their moves easy!

East Bengal 1-1 Gokulam Kerala

67' Promising attack from the right side by East Bengal as Crespo plays Nandha on the flank. Nandha tried to cut it back to Crespo inside the box but Gokulam were alert!

East Bengal vs Gokulam Kerala, Durand Cup Live: EBFC 1-1 GKFC

63' East Bengal are rebuilding their attack by keeping possession of the ball but Gokulam Kerala are defending well at the moment to provide no space. Something special is needed from the EBFC midfield and attack line to unlock the defense

Double change by East Bengal

59' Coach Carles Cuadrat shakes up things right after the goal as Vanspaul and Pardo come in play for Borja and Souvik in the midfield!

East Bengal 1-1 Gokulam Kerala

The goal comes in the 57th minute for Gokulam as a corner was cleared as far as 35 yards from the goal. Abhijith then provided a cross from the left flank for unmarked Aminou Bouba at the near post. The Cameroonian heads it nicely into the goal. Nunga is at fault for losing track of the burly defender inside the box!

GOOOOALLLLL!

Bouba Aminou equalises for Gokulam! Details to follow...

Gokulam take early possession in 2nd half

53' Gokulam Kerala are seeing most of the possession in the second half as East Bengal are defending in a 4-2-2-2 formation with a one-goal cushion in hand. A drop in intensity may play to Gokulam Kerala's strength, who need that goal to stay in Durand Cup 2023 as sole I-League team.

Mahesh fouled outside the box!

50' Naorem Mahesh Singh is fouled outside the box by Bashit, who is already on a yellow card. Merits his second yellow too as he fouled Mahesh rushing on the counter! The resulting freekick was taken from some 30 yards by Borja, who goes for the goal from a tight angle and shoots it wide! Could have played it for his teammates inside the box!

Noarem lobs ball off target!

47' Noarem Mahesh Singh misses a glorious chance! The winger was played free to the goal by a brilliant lobbed ball by Borja alone to the goal. Mahesh tried to dink it over the goalkeeper's head but the ball went over the bar for a goalkick!

2nd half begins!

46' The second half gets underway and East Bengal win a throw-in near the centre-line

Players return to the field!

Players are coming back to the field as we near kick-off! East Bengal will now change side and attack from left to right

2nd half to begin soon

We are nearing restart as players are still in the hut during the break. The crowd turnout hasn't increased for the game today as it continues to rain at the iconic Yuba Bharati Krirangan!

Snippets from the first half of play between Emami East Bengal FC and Gokulam Kerala FC at the rain drenched VYBK, Kolkata.#IndianOilDurandCupPoweredbyCoalIndia #DurandCup2023 #132ndEditionofIndianOilDurandCup #IndianFootball #ManyChampionsOneLegacy #EEBFCGKFC #QuarterFinals pic.twitter.com/OWKFoWiDJR

— Durand Cup (@thedurandcup) August 25, 2023

East Bengal vs Gokulam Kerala, Durand Cup Live: EBFC 1-0 GKFC at HT

An end-to-end first half as both sides used the length of the pitch to catch each other on the counter time and again. However, none could breach the goal after Jordan Elsey scored in the opening minute. East Bengal may look for a better ball control and would like to give less space to their rivals in the second half as Pedromo and Alex Sanchez have been finding space on the counter! An early insurance goal in the second half is what East Bengal need to breathe easy for the rest of the match.

Elsey's early goal helps @eastbengal_fc take the lead at the half time mark. A lot of action to follow in the second half! Stay tuned!#IndianOilDurandCupPoweredbyCoalIndia #132ndEditionofIndianOilDurandCup #IndianFootball #ManyChampionsOneLegacy #EEBFCGKFC #QuarterFinals pic.twitter.com/f4fDolx0VF

— Durand Cup (@thedurandcup) August 25, 2023

East Bengal 1-0 Gokulam Kerala at HT

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