NorthEast United bossed the Durand Cup 2025 final against Diamond Harbour as they mauled the debutants 6-1 in the summit clash in Kolkata. NorthEast United have become the first team to defend the Durand Cup in 34 years.
NorthEast United mauled debutants Diamond Harbour in the Durand Cup final 6-1 to defend their title and become the first team in the last 34 years to have won back-to-back titles.ย
East Bengal were the last team to have won successive titles at the Durand Cup when they completed a hat-trick in 1989, 1990 and 1991.ย
NorthEast United bossed the contest after a few early exchanges between the two teams. They took a 2-0 lead in the first half and kept their dominance intact in the second despite the debutants netting once.
Asheer Akhtar opened the scoring sheet with a strike in the 30th minute, before Parthib Gogoi doubled it with a strike in the 46th minute.ย
Thoi Singh resumed the dominance for NorthEast with a strike in the 50th minute before Luka Majcen pulled one back in the 68th minute. Spanish players Jairo Samperio and Andy Rodriguez compounded more troubles for Harbour with their strikes in the 81st and the 85th minutes.
Alaaeddine Ajaraie scored the final one in the stoppage time with a penalty stroke to clinch the win. He finished the tournament as the highest goal-scorer with eight strikes. Ajaraie won the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot awards.