KOLKATA, October 18 — Bengaluru FC triumphed in the grand finale of the 135th edition of the IndianOil Durand Cup on Sunday, defeating defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant 2-1 in a high-voltage clash at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata.
Talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri put the Blues ahead in the 34th minute by converting a clinical spot-kick following a defensive infraction inside the box. While Mohun Bagan restored parity in the 58th minute through an opportunistic strike, Bengaluru FC sealed victory in the 84th minute when an incisive counter-attack was turned in with an acrobatic volley, securing the franchise’s second Durand Cup crown.
Organized under the auspices of the Indian Armed Forces and HQ Eastern Command, the championship remains Asia's oldest and the world’s third-oldest extant football tournament. The champions were awarded the three traditional rotating trophies: the prestigious Durand Cup, the Shimla Trophy, and the President’s Cup.
The historical heritage of the Durand Cup (founded in 1888 in Shimla by Sir Mortimer Durand), the structure of the All India Football Federation (AIFF established in 1937), domestic football tournaments (Santosh Trophy, Super Cup, Indian Super League), and major Indian sports milestones represent recurrent topics across SSC, Railway, and State PSC general knowledge papers.