Kolkata derby will turn over another chapter as reserve sides of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan Super Giant will play an exhibition match in Lucknow on September 2.
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The first Kolkata derby of the season, which saw both sides fielding its reserve players, was played in the Calcutta Football League on July 13. The Red and Gold Brigade prevailed over the Mariners with a 2-1 win on the day at the Salt Lake Stadium.
What would have been the first senior derby on August 18 in the 2024 Durand Cup was abandoned due to security concerns. Since then, East Bengal bowed out in the quarterfinals while Mohun Bagan reached the final set to played on August 31.
The two biggest names in Indian football had met each other several times in other parts of the country, but never had an opportunity to fight it out in Lucknow. In fact, East Bengal, in its 104 years of rich history, never played in the Uttar Pradesh capital.
Mohun Bagan, established in 1889, will take the pitch in Lucknow after 69 years. The only time the side played there was on August 30, 1955, when it drew an exhibition match 1-1 with the Lucknow XI.
Deggie Cardozo, the head coach of Mohun Bagan, said, “This is a great initiative by the AIFF President to popularise football in Uttar Pradesh. I hope this match will inspire more youngsters to take up football, and in the future, we get a lot more quality players from UP.”
Bino George, East Bengal head coach, said, “We often stress on grassroots development, and it becomes all the more important for a state like Uttar Pradesh. It is such a big state with so many districts, that if we can popularise football there even a bit, we could see so many talented players coming through. I really appreciate this initiative by the AIFF to bring such a big match to Lucknow.”
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