East Bengal Power Past Punjab FC to Book Their Spot in the Super Cup Final

East Bengal walked into this semifinal looking like a team that had already made up its mind about reaching the final. They moved the ball quickly, pressed with intent, and didn’t give Punjab FC room to settle. Their reward came early. A corner in the 12th minute caused just enough panic in the Punjab box for Mohammed Rashid to react first and guide the loose ball home.

Punjab tried to recover, pushing their wing-backs higher and stretching play across the pitch. They almost levelled through a scrappy rebound off their own set-piece, but East Bengal managed to clear their lines in time.

The equaliser eventually arrived after a long diagonal found a Punjab attacker at the far post. His header struck a defender’s arm and the referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot. The penalty was calmly slotted in, bringing the match back to square one.

Chaos on the Touchline, Calm on the Pitch

East Bengal didn’t let the setback linger. Just minutes later, another corner brought them back in front but this time through a clean, towering header. While the players regrouped, the dugout saw drama of its own. 

Coach Carles Cuadrat, already on a yellow for dissent, reacted angrily to a decision and ended up being shown a second booking. What followed was a tense walk back to the tunnel, knowing he would miss the final.

The team, though, held their nerve. Punjab tried to push higher after the break, but East Bengal’s defensive shape stayed firm. Every clearance looked purposeful, every challenge measured.

Crespo Puts the Game to Bed

With Punjab chasing the game, gaps began to appear. Saul Crespo found one of those pockets of space, stepped into it, and let fly a crisp strike from distance that curled past the keeper. It was the kind of goal that ends arguments.

East Bengal saw out the final minutes with maturity, punching their ticket to the Super Cup final with confidence and a sense of momentum that will serve them well in the title clash.