Diamond Harbour FC (DHFC) has pulled off a stunning 2-1 upset against East Bengal in the Durand Cup semi-final, securing their place in the final against NorthEast United FC. The match, held at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, saw the tournament debutants continue their dream run in their first-ever Durand Cup campaign.

The first half concluded without any goals, despite East Bengal initially dominating. East Bengal's Naorem Mahesh Singh and Bipin Singh created opportunities on the left flank, but Dimitrios Diamantakos was unable to convert, missing a header. Diamond Harbour gradually gained momentum, with Samuel's shot hitting the crossbar in the 23rd minute.

The second half saw a flurry of action. In the 66th minute, Mikel Kortazar scored for Diamond Harbour with a bicycle kick. However, East Bengal's Anwar Ali responded quickly, equalizing just a minute later with a shot from near the halfway line that beat the goalkeeper. The decisive moment arrived in the 83rd minute when Joby Justin scored for DHFC, capitalizing on a defensive error from East Bengal. Diamond Harbour then defended resolutely to secure the victory.

Despite East Bengal having more possession, Diamond Harbour's clinical counter-attacking proved to be the difference. The Diamond Harbour goalkeeper also made a crucial save, denying Diamantakos with a long-range shot and preventing a rebound.

This marks the first time since 1925 that a team has reached the Durand Cup final in their debut campaign. Diamond Harbour will now face defending champions NorthEast United in the final on August 23. The final will be a clash between the debutants and the defending champions.

The 134th edition of the Durand Cup, Asia's oldest football tournament, began on July 23 and will conclude on August 23. The tournament features 24 teams divided into six groups. The matches are being held in Kolkata, Shillong, Jamshedpur, Kokrajhar, and Imphal.