Thread by @ebfchistory

#𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 #𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐅𝐂 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲!

@eastbengal_fc vs @OficialCAP

(A Thread)

#IndianFootball #JoyEastBengal #VamosCarbonero

🇺🇾 Peñarol Athletic Club (@OficialCAP) of Uruguay is one of the most successful clubs from Latin America and was adjudged as the South American Club of the 20th Century by International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in 2009.

Peñarol had been one of the most dominant names in South American football in the 1980s, winning the 🇺🇾 Primera Division 4 times, including back to back leagues in 1985 and 1986. The Manyas, as they are famously known, also won the Copa Libertadores in 1982 and 1987.

After winning the 1985 🇺🇾 Primera Division and crashing out from the Semi Finals of the Copa Libertadores, Peñarol received an invitation from the @IFABengal, to participate in the 1985 IFA Shield.

The tournament also invited 🇺🇾 Club Atlético Fénix and 🇺🇦 Shakhtar Donetsk.

Peñarol was grouped with Shakhtar Donestk, Mohammedan Sporting and Kidderpore FC in Group A while East Bengal was grouped together with Club Atlético Fénix, Mohun Bagan and BNR in Group B.

Shakatar Donestk topped the Group A winning all their matches while Peñarol finished second, winning 2—0 against Mohammedan Sporting and thrashing Khidderpur 5—1, but lost in their final group game by 3—0 to Shakhtar Donetsk, who were the runner’s up of the USSR Cup in 1985.

East Bengal on the other hand had a terrific season in 1985. Coached by P. K. Bannerjee, they had won the Calcutta Football League by a huge 8 points lead over Mohun Bagan. Then went on to lift the Darjeeling Gold Cup and then the Federation Cup defeating Bagan in the final.

The club also qualified for the Asian Club Championship (now AFC Champions League) – Central Asia zonal tournament (Coca-Cola Cup), which they won, winning all their matches and without conceding any goal and qualified for the main tournament to be held at Jeddah in Jan, 1986.

However, coach P. K. Banerjee resigned before the IFA Shield as he was appointed as the coach of the national team and was replaced by his assistant Shyam Thapa.

East Bengal defeated BNR 4—0 in the opening game and then also defeated Mohun Bagan 2—0 in the Kolkata Derby.

In the last game of the group stage against Uruguayan club Atlético Fénix, East Bengal required just a draw to secure their position as the toppers of the group and both the teams did play out a goalless draw, both ensuring their qualifications into the semifinals.

In the Semi Final on 13 December 1985, in front of a packed Salt Lake Stadium, #EastBengalFC faced the 🇺🇾 champions #Peñarol.

The Uruguayans were outright favourites but what followed is still considered one of the biggest upset by fans who were present at the stadium that day.

Peñarol started the game on the upper hand while East Bengal defence led by Monaranjan Bhattacharya and Tarun Dey fought neck-to-neck against the South Americans.

It was the visitors who took the lead as their captain and national team star Herbert Revetria opened the scoring.

East Bengal kept fighting in the game and had a few chances in the second half to equalise, but it was the left-back Aloke Mukherjee, who took a shot from 35 yards out which ended up in the back of the net, hence equalising the game at 1—1, late in the regulation time.

The 90 minutes ended and East Bengal had drew 1—1 against the 🇺🇾 Champions in the semi finals of the IFA Shield. The tie-breakers were to follow and the packed crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium held onto their nerves, hoping to see East Bengal pull off the miracle.

However, it was not how things panned out and East Bengal lost 4—2 in the penalties, hence failing to pull off the miracle win against the South Americans even after a terrific performance in the match, which has been remembered by all East Bengal fans even today.

Peñarol faced Shakatar Donestk in the final, who had defeated Club Atlético Fénix 1—0 in the second semi-final.

It was again the 🇺🇾 star and Peñarol captain Herbert Revetria who scored the only goal in the 51st minute to take the IFA Shield trophy back to Uruguay.

(The end)
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