East Bengal FC players celebrate after win the final of the Kalinga Super Cup 2024 at Bhubaneswar on January 29, 2024
| Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
Cleiton Silva sparked the celebrations with a fantastic finish to help East Bengal prevail over the holder Odisha FC 3-2 in the extra-time and claim its maiden Super Cup crown.
The final at Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday saw an exciting contest as the two teams were locked 2-2 at the end of regulation time. The intensity of the contest also saw two red card expulsions bringing the teams down to 10 men each.
Finally it was left to the East Bengal captain Cleiton to find the decider which he did in the 111th minute to bring an end to a 12-year wait for a national club title.
Odisha FC found the goal at the right moment to shift the game in its favour in the first half. East Bengal made a strong start but missed chances and it was the finishing ability of Odisha forward Diego Mauricio that helped the host lead 1-0 at half time with his 39th-minute goal.
East Bengal coach Carles Cuadrat made two big changes after the break introducing the two national team players – Naorem Mahesh Singh and Chnungunga.
The ploy seemed to work well as Naorem set up a defence-splitting pass to release Nandhakumar Sekar in the 52nd minute. The East Bengal winger ran deep and dribbled past the Odisha goalkeeper Mawia Ralte to slot home. East Bengal found the lead quickly off a 60th penalty that was converted by Saul Crespo.
The host went down to 10 men when its defender Mourtada Fall was ejected with a red card for a foul on Borja Herrera. East Bengal seemed to be cruising toward a win but a penalty in the last minute of the injury-time brought Odisha back in the match. Ahmed Jahouh scored from a panenka kick to net the goal and make it 2-2.
There was more to happen as East Bengal was reduced to 10 men losing its midfielder Souvik Chakrabarti who received his second booking and two teams were back on level terms in the count of personnel and goals.
The result
Final: East Bengal FC 3 (Nandhakumar 52, Saul Crespo 61-pen, Cleiton 111) bt Odisha FC 2 (Mauricio 39, Jahouh 97-pen).
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