East Bengal FC’s Comeback Victory in Durand Cup 2024
Coach Carles Cuadrat Praises Team
East Bengal FC head coach Carles Cuadrat expressed his delight with his team’s performance as they began their Durand Cup 2024 journey with a 3-1 comeback win against Indian Air Force FT. The match took place at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
The Red and Gold Brigade started strong, creating many goal-scoring opportunities. However, they conceded a goal in the 19th minute. Debutant David Lalhlalsanga scored the equalizer, and in the second half, Dimitrios Diamantakos and captain Saul Crespo extended the lead.
Cuadrat praised his team’s professional attitude and tactical execution but noted the need for physical improvement. He highlighted the contributions of new signings Diamantakos and Madih Talal, with Talal earning the Player of the Match award for his two assists.
Quotes from Carles Cuadrat
Cuadrat said, “I think we played good football. It was a game where the opponent scored first. We created lots of chances. When you’re not scoring, maybe we can get anxious and desperate to score. But the players managed well to control the game and create chances. And finally, it was a question of time to score. I’m happy because I saw the players with a very professional attitude and doing the things that we’ve been practising.”
He added, “Of course, the physical areas need the most improvement at the moment because for some players, it has been 25 days of training, but for others, it has been only a week. So they have to improve their physicality. But I’m happy because a lot of things that we’ve been practising in training about tactics, automatics, and movements are happening. It means they are focused on and paying attention to what we are proposing. And I think it was a good game.”
Cuadrat also praised Diamantakos and Talal, saying, “I think they played really well, both of them. Of course, it was the first match of the tournament. Dimitrios is only training a week with us, so it’s difficult that he won some duels due to physical situations. But he shows everybody that he is a top scorer. He has played in two small moments and also scored in the friendly match. So, he is doing the job very well. And Talal is a creative player–a very good player. He has lots of intentions with the ball when he plays.”
Doubts Revealed
East Bengal FC -: East Bengal FC is a famous football club based in Kolkata, India. They have a long history and many fans.
Durand Cup -: The Durand Cup is one of the oldest football tournaments in India. It started in 1888 and many teams compete in it every year.
Carles Cuadrat -: Carles Cuadrat is a football coach from Spain. He is the head coach of East Bengal FC.
Indian Air Force FT -: Indian Air Force FT is a football team that represents the Indian Air Force in tournaments like the Durand Cup.
David Lalhlalsanga -: David Lalhlalsanga is a football player who recently joined East Bengal FC. He scored a goal in the match.
Dimitrios Diamantakos -: Dimitrios Diamantakos is another new player for East Bengal FC. He also scored a goal in the match.
Saul Crespo -: Saul Crespo is the captain of East Bengal FC. He led the team and scored a goal in the match.
Madih Talal -: Madih Talal is a new player for East Bengal FC. He helped his team by making two assists, which means he helped set up two goals.
Player of the Match -: Player of the Match is an award given to the best player in a game. Madih Talal won this award for his great performance.
