"We had one of our best games today" - East Bengal head coach Carles Cuadrat after derby win over Mohun Bagan | Kalinga Super Cup 2024
East Bengal, rising from the ashes yet again, came from behind to script an improbable 3-1 win over their arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the Kalinga Super Cup at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
By virtue of this win, East Bengal have qualified for the semifinals of this tournament, where they will face Jamshedpur FC.
The Torchbearers were a goal down by the 19th minute, thanks to an artistic backheel by Hector Yuste. But a Cleiton Silva brace and a Nandhakumar Sekar tap-in helped them come back in heroic fashion.
Head coach Carles Cuadrat, speaking to the media after the game, seemed extremely pleased with his team's showing.
"I think we had one of our best games today. We knew where to find gaps in midfield and we used that space really well. To win big games, and to perform well under pressure, you have to find such space, and we did that well today. Our players knew how important it was to win the battle of the midfield and they showed how good they were today," said Cuadrat.
Cuadrat was asked about how his side fell short in the final of the Durand Cup earlier this season against the same opposition despite having beaten them in the group stage of the same tournament. Talks of revenge were parried about in the atmosphere.
"It's not about revenge. That (Durand Cup) was a different competition. It is all about giving confidence to our players, and in that manner, we have been successful in this tournament. Mohun Bagan played very well, but luckily, we emerged as the winners in this game," he added.
"The fans were fantastic today" - Carles Cuadrat all praise for the travelling supporters from Kolkata
Despite how sweet this win may seem to Cuadrat, he knows that this has just earned them a semifinal spot.The main goal is to win the Super Cup and then concentrate on the ISL. The Spaniard was extremely generous in his praise of both his and Mohun Bagan's players.
The retake of Dimitri Petratos' penalty at the end of the first half was the talk of the town, but in his usual polite manner, Cuadrat chose to play it in as straightforward a manner as he could.
"We have some time to prepare for our next game, and we will use the break well. The other teams who qualify for the semifinals are also going to be hard to break down, but we will prepare well. Jamshedpur are going to pose a good challenge for us. This win does not mean that we have won the Super Cup. We need to keep working hard," said Cuadrat.
"I think the re-take of the penalty did play a big part in shaping our mindset. Had we gone into the break two goals down, our approach may have been different. However, we went into the break level, and that boosted our confidence. That gave us the ability to believe in ourselves that maybe we could overturn the result," he elaborated.
Cuadrat also had words of affection for the travelling fans, who made the nine-hour journey from Kolkata.
"The fans were fantastic today. This is one of the parts of football I love the most. And we all know how vocal our supporters can be. They travelled here all the way from Kolkata and showered us with their love and support. I am extremely grateful for them. Without the fans, this sport is nothing," he added.