Durand Cup triumph a whiff of redemption for Edmund and Habas

KOLKATA: When people’s paths cross, sometimes it comes with the whiff of a road movie evolving and eventually moving their journey towards its point of redemption with a profound sense of inevitability.For Edmund Lalrindika and Antonio Lopez Habas — the two main characters of East Bengal FC’s audacious dismantling of Mohun Bagan SG on their way to winning the Durand Cup here on Sunday, their journeys perhaps wield a symbolism with much depth and emotional nuance. They are about returning to the battle front not only to survive a seemingly insurmountable ordeal but completing an unfinished business with a beguiling element of defiance.Six years ago it was at the very Salt Lake Stadium, Edmund saw his journey suffer an unexpected setback. Five days after joining an Alejandro Menendez’s East Bengal on a short-term loan deal from Bengaluru FC, the Mizo youngster made debut in the first-leg I-League derby in the 2019-2020 season, coming off the bench to provide an assist for Macros Jimenez’s goal in a match which Mohun Bagan eventually won 2-1. It was the penultimate I-League derby between the two traditional rivals before their foray into the Indian Super League which was coronated as the country’s top-tier league. Edmund’s stay in the match was merely 14-minute long as it was cut short with a serious injury, forcing him to leave the field and return to the BFC fold.Two years later, another spine injury put a serious question mark over his future, with his doctors having advised to stay away from football. But Edmund defied the odds with his customary grit and a year after joining Inter Kashi, he found in Habas a catalyst he had been waiting to process his rebirth with a structure of meaning.If Edmund’s journey to self-realization was marinated in suffering, the one for Habas had a smidge of rejection. Having returned to take charge of Mohun Bagan Super Giant midway in the 2023-2024 season and guided them to the ISL Winners’ Shield, the veteran Spanish coach didn’t find any backers from the team management to continue and took the plunge into the second tier of Indian club football with Inter Kashi.Edmund — already becoming the first player from I-League to earn a call-up in the senior national team since ISL’s promotion to the top league — welcomed the Spaniard to the newly-formed team with a late winner, helping Inter Kashi edge past SC Bengaluru at Kalyani stadium on Nov 24 in 2024. Habas went on to transform his precious pupil from a winger to an attacker, often employing him as a False 9 position. The result was dazzling for the duo and devastating for the rivals. As Inter Kashi eventually won the I-League and earned their promotion to ISL, Edmund made his choice — returning to East Bengal and completing a mission he had left unfinished.When Habas left his position as Inter Kashi coach three matches before the end of the 2025-2026 season and returned to Spain amid uncertainty over ISL’s future, East Bengal too were forced to search for a new beginning, days after winning the ISL. Coach Oscar Bruzon had already made his intention of leaving clear to everyone and investor Emami Group was unwilling to pump in money in the red-and-gold project.The club officials had to step in and when Habas received a call from them to take reins of the new ISL champions, he was always game for a homecoming with a difference.As fate would have it, Edmund reunited with his mentor and the duo created quite a buzz on Sunday.“I’ve not won the Durand Cup in my career. So, it’s a special one,” Habas told reporters after the final.“Hopefully, it’s just the start of a new journey and more trophies will follow,” a beaming Edmund remarked.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.