NorthEast United Win Maiden IndianOil Durand Cup Title with a Brilliant Comeback Victory
A Blockbuster Finals on the Cards as Mohun Bagan Super Giant Faces NorthEast United for the IndianOil Durand Cup Title
Durand Cup Organising Committee Announces Ticket Refund for Abandoned Kolkata Derby
The Durand Cup in Shillong and how the Army led the charge in making it happen
*Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri felicitated by Eastern Command*
Mohun Bagan Super Giant make second successive IndianOil Durand Cup final
Mohun Bagan Super Giants to Lock Horns with Bengaluru FC for a Spot in the Finals
NorthEast United make historic first Durand final
Shillong Lajong Welcomes NorthEast United in an Epic IndianOil Durand Cup Semi-final
“I Hope To Have My Best Season in India With Blasters” – Noah Sadaoui
Downtown Heroes FC – 2 (Darius 29’ 84’) Indian Air Force FT – 0
Kolkata, August 2nd, 2024: A brace of goals by Downtown Heroes’ Liberian forward Darius Snorton Perwood against the Indian Air Force Football Team (IAFFT) here at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan(VYBK), was enough to give the Club from Srinagar a historic first win in the IndianOil Durand Cup. After going down in all three games in their debut campaign last year, Perwood’s strikes on either side of the two halves in what was the second game in Group A for both teams, giving the Heroes a crucial three points in their present 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup campaign. The Airmen on the other hand have now lost both their group games.
While the team for Kashmir play Emami East Bengal FC at the city’s second venue Kishore Bharati Krirangan on 7th August, the Air Force team play the other local giants Mohun Bagan Super Giants in their final group fixture a day later at the same VYBK.
All 43 matches of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup will be broadcast LIVE on the Sony Sports Network (Sony Ten2 HD) as well as livestreamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform
Hilal Rasool Parray the Heroes’ Head Coach started with the same 3-5-2 formation that he had used in the first game against MohunBagan Super Giants, but made at least three changes to that 11. Priya Darshan the Air Force coach on the other hand made as many as five changes from their first game loss to Emami East Bengal FC.
The Heroes had the better of the exchanges in the first half and got the fruits of their labour in the 29th minute when forward Perwood’spenetrating run inside the box from the left, was found beautifully by Aafreen Parray and the Liberian placed the ball clinically past Dinesh in the Air Force goal.
The long ball from their own half to find Aafreen in space was floated by Mohammed Inam, who had a brilliant game controlling the midfield and distributing from it.
The second-half was played for most parts in blinding rain and while the Airmen were more enterprising, Umed in the Heroes goal was hardly troubled/throughout the game.
Perwood sealed the deal for the Heroes with a second strike in the 84th minute, latching on to a cross which found its way to him with space in the box. He controlled well, sidestepped one defender and with the keeper to beat, blasted home with a striker’s confidence.
Key Clash between Bengaluru and Inter Kashi tomorrow at Kolkata
Bengaluru FC will face Inter Kashi tomorrow in a crucial Group B encounter at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata with the kick-off scheduled for 7 PM. A win for Bengaluru will take them to the top of the table with six points, inching closer to the qualification spot from the group. Bengaluru comfortably beat Indian Navy FT in their first match while Inter Kashi played out an entertaining 1-1 draw against Mohammedan SC. Inter Kashi will look to create an upset and go on top of the table with four points.
“I was pleased with what I saw in our performance against Indian Navy, but there is still a lot of work to do. We know that consistency is key in tournaments like the Durand Cup, and Inter Kashi will pose a different challenge. They are a team that performed really well in the I-League last year, and I’m sure this will be a tough game. The boys are focused and ready to give their all,” said Bengaluru Head Coach Gerard Zaragoza before the game.
In a 4 PM kick-off tomorrow, ISL side Odisha FC will take on para-military team Border Security Force XI at SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar. Odisha FC who will be fielding their reserve side will look to start their campaign in Group E with a win.
ABOUT DURAND CUP
A symbol of India’s football history and culture, the Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament. Organised by the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, the Durand Cup has been the breeding ground for India’s best footballing talent, over the years.
The inaugural edition happened in Shimla in 1888 and then the tournament moved to New Delhi in 1940, where it was held till 2016. In 2019, the tournament came under the aegis of the Eastern Command and moved to the eastern part of the country, with Kolkata, the Mecca of Indian football and the Eastern Command Headquarters, being the home base. What makes the Durand Cup even more unique is that the winners get three trophies, two rotating (Durand Cup and Shimla Trophy) and one for permanent keep (President’s Cup).
As we embark on this exciting journey over the coming weeks, let us celebrate the beautiful game of football, honour the traditions of the Durand Cup, and look forward to witnessing moments of brilliance that will be etched in our memories forever.