Fearing security concerns in the wake of widespread protests for a trainee doctor's alleged rape and murder case in Kolkata, the organisers had on Saturday abandoned the Durand Cup marquee group league fixture between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

Norwegian striker Mushaga Bakenga led the charge with two goals, while Croatia's Filip Mrzljak added a third in injury time.

Mohun Bagan took the lead in the fourth minute as they compounded pressure onto Indian Air Force’s defence and the men in blue gave away the ball to the Mariners.

A young Mumbai side struggled to find their footing and defend deep in their half as CISF dominated with possession, besides threatening with the attack.

Star players Madih Talal and Dimitrios Diamantakos from East Bengal FC (EBFC) nodded the ball home at the last 61st minute, enabling last year's finalists to begin their tournament with a dominant win over IAF.

Downtown Heroes FC, in its fourth year, brings a fresh air to the competition with its focus on nurturing young homegrown talent. Despite a relatively brief history, the club made its Durand Cup debut last season and participated in the 2022-23 I-League Division 2.

Both the teams have neck to neck competition with each other. With East Bengal holding a record of 139 wins and Mohan Bagan has 128 derby wins. However, Mohan Bagan has maintained its status of unbeaten record in Kolkata derby wins and a draw against its arch-rival East Bengal in the last match of Indian Super League in March.

The cup will also be hosted in three other cities, Jamshedpur, also being the first, Kokrajhar, and Kolkata, which will also host the grand final on August 31, at the hallowed Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK).