After East Bengal FC booked a berth in the Durand Cup 2023 final, Mohun Bagan Super Giant will come out with similar aspirations on Thursday when they square off against FC Goa in the second semi-final at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Roared on by their home fans, the Mariners are the overwhelming favorites going into the tie after their standout performance in the quarters against Mumbai City FC. Juan Ferrando's men rallied to a 3-1 victory against the Islanders with Jason Cummings, Manvir Singh, and Anwar Ali getting on the scoresheet.
Additionally, before refocusing on the Durand Cup knockouts, Mohun Bagan managed to qualify for the AFC Cup group stages after winning playoff games against Machhindra FC and Dhaka Abahani. Their relentless bench strength and all-star starting XI have allowed them to push for results in every competition they have participated in so far this season.
Compared to the last season, the Green and Maroon Brigade look like much more of a cohesive unit this time around. But the Gaurs are no pushovers. With the addition of experienced campaigners like Carl McHugh, Sandesh Jhingan, and Udanta Singh, new gaffer Manolo Marquez has managed to assemble a resilient unit.
After topping Group D, FC Goa hammered four goals past Chennaiyin FC to cruise into the semi-finals. Their free-flowing band of football, aided by the talismanic Noah Sadaoui, has really captured the imagination of every football aficionado.
MBSG gaffer Juan Ferrando heaped praises on Manolo's Goa side, saying:
“Goa is also a balanced and good team as Mumbai. This Goa is much different from last year's Goa. They have a new Coach. They have good footballers like Noah, Boris, Udanta, Sandesh, and Carl McHugh. So we have to give importance to them. We have AFC Cup group matches coming up. So before that playing against Goa will be a good practice match."
FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan SG: Durand Cup 2023 quarter-final match details
Match: FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan SG, Semi-final 2, Durand Cup 2023.
Date & Time: Thursday, August 31, 6.00 pm
Venue: Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan SG: Telecast details
The Durand Cup semi-final match between FC Goa and Mohun Bagan SG will be broadcast on Sony Sports 2 and Sony Sports 2 HD TV channels from 6.00 pm IST on Thursday, August 31.
FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan SG: Live streaming details
The game between the Gaurs and the Mariners can also be streamed on SonyLiv from 6:00 pm IST on Thursday.