Cleiton Silva scored a late winner as East Bengal FC beat Mumbai City FC 4-3 in a Group B clash in the Durand Cup at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday.

The first half saw six goals as East Bengal FC scored through Sumeet Passi (17’, 34’) and Silva (22’) but Mumbai City FC came back from behind to make it 3-3 through goals from Greg Stewart (27’) and Lalianzuala Chhangte (36’, 43’).

Mumbai City FC however still finished top of Group A thanks to their superior goal difference.

Mumbai City FC created the first opening of the match when Mandar Rao Dessai sent a low cross that was poked goalwards by Jorge Pereyra Diaz but the shot went just wide in the 9th minute.

East Bengal FC then went in front through a header from Passi who converted a deep cross from Jerry Lalrinzuala in the 17th minute.

Five minutes later, Silva curled home a stunning free-kick to make it 2-0 to the Red and Gold brigade.

Stewart then halved the deficit five minutes later with a fine left-footed finish but East Bengal FC restored their two-goal lead when Passi’s cross went through goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz.

However, Mumbai City FC stormed back through two goals from Chhangte to make it 3-3 going into the break.

Both managers managed to stem the flow of goals in the second half as both defences upped their game.

However, East Bengal FC managed to make the decisive blow when Silva finished off a superb counter-attacking move to put Stephen Constantine’s team 4-3 up with nine minutes to play.

Kamaljit Singh then made a sine save to deny Stewart from making it 4-4 as East Bengal FC held on to win their first match of the Durand Cup.

Mumbai City FC and ATK Mohun Bagan became the two teams to qualify for the quarter-finals from Group B.

Hyderabad FC go down to Army Red

After three back-to-back victories in the Group Stage of the Durand Cup campaign, Manolo Marquez’s Hyderabad tasted their first defeat, as they lost 1-0 to Army Red FT, in their final group game here at the Khuman Lampak Stadium on Saturday.

Suresh Methei, the skipper of the Services’ side scored with a glancing header in the 33rd minute, which turned out to be the only goal on a tough evening in Imphal.

Manolo Marquez made plenty of changes to the Starting XI but Hyderabad managed to create plenty of chances throughout the game.

The likes of Halicharan Narzary, Lalchungnunga Chhangte, Borja Herrera, Aaren D’Silva and Javi Siverio, coming off the bench, all came close on a fair-few occasions, but HFC failed to find the back of the net for the first time in this campaign.

Bhabindra Sureshi, the shot-stopper for ARFT was at the top of his game, as he made five superb saves to deny HFC throughout the evening. His contribution to helping Army Red to their first win of the campaign, saw him named the ‘Player of the Match’ on the evening.

Even with the loss, Hyderabad remain atop Group C with nine points from their four games while Army Red move up to 2nd in the table as of now, with five points from their four games. The result of the final group game between Chennaiyin and NEORCA will decide the second qualifier from the group.

HFC are back in action in the Durand Cup Quarterfinal, with the dates and venues yet to be announced.