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The contest began with both teams showing attacking intent, but the early exchanges were cagey, with play largely confined to midfield. Diamond Harbour carved out the first real opportunity when Joby Justin tested NorthEast's defence with a sharp effort from a tight angle, though Gurmeet had his near post well covered. NorthEast broke the deadlock in the 30th minute after sustained pressure in the box caused chaos in the Diamond Harbour defence. Goalkeeper Mirshad parried an initial effort but failed to gather cleanly, allowing Asheer Akhtar to pounce on the rebound and slot home. The reigning champions doubled their advantage just before the interval when Parthib Gogoi cut in from the left and unleashed a sublime strike into the top-right corner, giving NorthEast a 2-0 lead at halftime. Diamond Harbour briefly threatened a comeback in the second half, pulling one back through Luca Majcen, who tapped in from close range following a flick-on by Joby Justin from a corner. However, any hopes of a revival were swiftly crushed as NorthEast responded in style. Ajaraie spearheaded a blistering counter-attack, squaring for Thoi to finish from point-blank range to make it 3-1. The floodgates opened thereafter. Jairo Bustara marked his debut in style with a composed finish to achieve a three-goal cushion. Moments later, Ajaraie turned provider again, picking out Gaitan at the far post with a precise cross, and the Spaniard's acrobatic finish looped over Mirshad for 5-1. The final flourish came in stoppage time when Ajaraie, fouled inside the box, converted the resulting penalty with a thunderous strike that ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar into the net. With this resounding 6-1 victory, NorthEast United secured back-to-back Durand Cup triumphs, underlining their dominance and sending a clear message ahead of the upcoming ISL season. Diamond Harbour's fairytale run ended in heartbreak, but they left the tournament with their heads held high after an impressive campaign.