The two sides are set to meet in a Group A encounter at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Monday, with the odds firmly stacked against the Air Force. At the time of writing, they are currently at only 26.0 to win against the Kolkata giants, and 9.6 to nick a draw.
(All odds courtesy of 1xbet and subject to change.)
While those are extraordinary odds to bet against, the Durand Cup has shown time and again that teams representing the armed forces are more than capable of causing upsets against ISL heavyweights.
Can lightning strike twice?
East Bengal are expected to field multiple reserves in this match and rest several of their key players amid the ongoing Calcutta Football League season.
They also remain focused on their AFC Champions League 2 preliminary round tie against Turkeministan’s Altyn Asyr FC, which is set to take place on August 14.
This presents a real opportunity for the Indian Air Force to get something out of the game. In last year’s tournament, they earned a 1-1 draw against 2022 Durand Cup winners Bengaluru FC.
There’s no reason why they cannot pull off something similar this time around. The 10.2 draw market is worth taking a punt on.
Experience will be key for Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force football team is a strong physical side who rely on their defence and endurance. Although they finished last year’s campaign with just a solitary point in Group C, that point came against ISL heavyweights Bengaluru.
They have some experienced players in their ranks. The likes of Shibinraj Kunniyil, Arashpreet Singh and Vivek Kumar have all played for some of the biggest clubs in India and on their day can cause real damage.
East Bengal will bank on Cuadrat’s cup magic once again
Carles Cuadrat’s legacy in Red and Gold folklore is more than guaranteed. The Spaniard was the mastermind who led East Bengal to the Kalinga Super Cup title, thus ending the club’s 12-year wait for national silverware.
Under Cuadrat, East Bengal have turned into a resilient cup tournament team. They reached the Durand Cup final last year, which is a testament to the same. Cuadrat’s ‘cup magic’ and philosophy has earned some excellent results for the team and the Red and Gold Brigade will be hopeful for that trend to continue.