3 areas East Bengal FC could have performed better against Mohun Bagan SG in the 2023 Durand Cup final

The Kolkata derby in the 2023 Durand Cup final was a much anticipated one, but it ended in heartbreak for East Bengal fans.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant secured a 1-0 victory despite playing with 10-man for the last half hour of the game. A second-half strike from Dimitri Petratos ensured that the Mariners went on to win their record 17th Durand Cup, much to the dismay of the Red and Gold Brigade.

While head coach Carles Cuadrat can find several positives from the tournament, he may also wonder what could have been in store if they performed better.

East Bengal's performance in the final wasn't necessarily poor, but there were areas where they could have improved, especially against a Mohun Bagan side that struggled to find their footing.

With that in mind, let's analyze what improvements the Torchbearers could have made to achieve a positive result in the final.

#1 Composure in the final third

Nervousness might have crept in for both teams leading up to the final, especially given the significance of the derby and the high stakes involved. This tension was evident in the first half, resulting in a cautious game with both sides managing just one shot on goal.

But Cuadrat would have been disappointed with East Bengal’s approach play, as they did well in the first two phases of play, but struggled in the final third despite getting into good positions.

The likes of Saul Crespo, Borja Herrera, Nandhakumar Sekar, and Naorem Mahesh Singh have shown their quality throughout the tournament, but there was a stumbling block in terms of making the right decisions this time around.

It's possible that inexperience played a role in this underwhelming performance, but overall, East Bengal's forwards will be disappointed with their performances.

#2 Utilizing the momentum

After a cagey first half, East Bengal came out of the break with purpose. Their attack displayed a newfound sharpness, and they pressed with intent to regain possession quickly.

The 20-minute period before Anirudh Thapa's red card presented an ideal opportunity for the Torchbearers to use their momentum.

Alongside East Bengal's improved performance, Mohun Bagan also looked vulnerable, committing a few errors that could have proven costly if their opponents had capitalized on them.

However, this advantage failed to materialize as the Torchbearers struggled in the final third. Cuadrat will look to work on this in training and enhance their attacking performances in preparation for the upcoming ISL season.

#3 Maintaining calmness in possession after the red card

Cuadrat himself revealed that the turning point of the game was the red card. Addressing the media following the defeat, he remarked:

"The turning point was the red card. It’s easy to defend when you’re 10 men against 11. You just defend with people in the box and try and go for counter-attacks. They have several good players and just one moment cost us the game. "

"When you have 10 players, you tend to defend, so there are fewer spaces and they took advantage with a goal. I think we should have managed better in that moment of the game."

What East Bengal did was anticipate a significant advantage, possibly underestimating Mohun Bagan's counter-attacking ability.

The Torchbearers committed extra players forward in the hope of capitalizing, but it ultimately backfired, leaving them vulnerable at the back. Petratos then scored a stunning goal, ultimately proving to be the decisive factor.

It is fair to say that East Bengal panicked a bit, and as a result, lost the momentum they built before the red card.

This is an aspect Cuadrat will intend to address in training, emphasizing the importance of patience when in possession and creating scoring opportunities.