Emami exits investor role at East Bengal, will remain a sponsor
Emami Group transferred all its shares and voting rights in East Bengal Football Club back to the club on Tuesday, ending its role as an investor while committing to continue its association as a sponsor.
Emami said it remains committed to the growth and development of Indian football and will continue to support East Bengal and its sporting ambitions. "While stepping away from its investment and management role, it will continue its association with East Bengal Club as a sponsor, supporting the club and its ongoing sporting ambitions," the group said in a release. "The Group remains proud of its association with East Bengal and wishes the Club, its players, officials, and supporters continued success in the seasons ahead," it added.
The announcement followed East Bengal's 4-1 victory over arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup final two days earlier, a win that ended a 22-year wait for the trophy and saw the club lift the competition for a record-equalling 17th time. Edmund Lalrindika was the standout performer in the final, scoring a hat-trick as East Bengal produced a dominant first-half display.
The scoring began in the 10th minute when Bipin Singh converted after captain Mohammed Rashid won possession in the opposition half and slid the ball through; Bipin's left-footed strike from inside the box beat Vishal Kaith. Two minutes later Lalrindika doubled the lead with a powerful effort from around 20 yards that took a deflection off Kaith and found the net.
Lalrindika struck again in the 22nd minute after Hardik Bhatt collected the ball on the left and fed Daniel Ramirez, who threaded it to the striker; Lalrindika took a touch into the box, rounded the advancing Kaith and finished into an empty net. Mohun Bagan reduced the deficit through Manvir Singh in the 33rd minute, but East Bengal restored a three-goal cushion before half-time.
The fourth East Bengal goal arrived in the 44th minute when Mohammed Rashid delivered a cross to the far side of the box, Jay Gupta ran onto it and squared across goal for Lalrindika to complete his hat-trick. East Bengal maintained their discipline after the interval to see out the match and prevent a Mohun Bagan comeback.
The Durand Cup triumph ended East Bengal's 22-year wait for the title; the club had last won the competition in 2004 with a 2-1 victory over Mohun Bagan. The result left East Bengal and Mohun Bagan level on 17 Durand Cup titles each in the 135-year history of the competition.
For coach Antonio Lopez Habas, the victory carried added significance given his links to both sides of the Kolkata derby: he previously guided ATK to two Indian Super League titles, in 2014 and 2019-20, and enjoyed a successful stint with Mohun Bagan. Habas returned to the derby as East Bengal's head coach after Oscar Bruzon's departure, has quickly imposed greater defensive solidity, midfield cohesion and discipline on the new-look side, and had earlier masterminded a comeback against Kuwait's Al-Arabi SC in an AFC Champions League knockout fixture, overturning a 0-1 deficit in extra time.
Emami's decision to step away from its investment and management role marks a change in its relationship with East Bengal, but the group's continued sponsorship means its association with the club will remain in place.
