Kolkata, Aug. 24 -- The ignominy of poor runs in the Indian Super League (ISL) has been erased but East Bengal still needed a statement of intent in a Kolkata derby to show that they were back at the top. They chose the final of the Indian Oil 135th Durand Cup to do that. The 4-1 win against Mohun Bagan Super Giant was reminiscent of how they had knocked the arch-rivals off their perch with a similar scoreline in another cup competition 29 years ago. Then, it was Bhaichung Bhutia who was the cynosure. On Sunday, tournament's Golden Ball winner Edmund Lalrindika joined Bhutia, Edeh Chidi and Kiyan Nassiri as the only players with a hat-trick in Asian football most storied rivalry, one that is 101 years old. Never before has a team scored four goals in the first half in this contest so that was another one for the history books and trivia buffs. This was East Bengal's 17th Durand Cup title and the first since 2004. And it came months after the 106-year-old club had ended another 22-year wait: that of being India's league champions. But the 2025-26 ISL wasn't a full season and didn't include a win against Mohun Bagan. Then, East Bengal lost the derby with which this iteration of Asia's oldest football tournament had begun. How a season begins is no indication of how it will end but for now, red and gold are colours that evoke envy and awe....