Kolkata, August 23: NorthEast United Football Club (NEUFC) delivered a stunning performance to thrash debutant Diamond Harbour FC 6–1 in the final of the 134th Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Saturday, lifting back-to-back titles in Asia’s oldest football competition.
The win made NorthEast the first team in 34 years to defend the Durand Cup crown, a feat last achieved by East Bengal in the early 1990s, while also earning the Highlanders a record prize purse of ₹1.21 crore—the highest in the tournament’s history.
NorthEast United took the lead in the 30th minute through defender Asheer Akhtar, who converted from a rebound inside the box. Just before the break, Parthib Gogoi doubled the advantage with a curling strike to put the Highlanders 2–0 ahead at half-time. Early in the second half, Thoi Singh added a third goal in the 50th minute, tightening NorthEast’s grip on the match.
Diamond Harbour briefly fought back when Slovenian striker Luka Majcen headed in a corner in the 68th minute to make it 3–1. But NorthEast responded ruthlessly, with Jairo Samperio restoring the three-goal cushion in the 81st minute. Substitute Andy chipped in the fifth goal in the 86th, and Alaeddine Ajaraie sealed the 6–1 rout with a stoppage-time penalty.
The result ended a fairytale run for Diamond Harbour, who had stunned East Bengal in the semifinal but faltered against the experience and attacking strength of the defending champions. For NorthEast United, the triumph not only secured their second consecutive Durand Cup but also marked a historic milestone in their rise as a new force in Indian football.
