Hyderabad FC– 1 (Chhunga HMR 57’) Delhi FC – 1 (Himanshu 6’)
Guwahati, August 06, 2022: Newly promoted I – League side Delhi FC held last year’s semifinalists and Hyderabad FC to a 1-1 draw in a Group E fixture of the 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup being played here at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. Himanshu Jangra scored for Delhi FC in the 6th minute while Ramhlunchhunga equalized for Hyderabad FC in the second half.
All 43 games of the 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup are being telecast LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 2 channels as well as livestreamed on SonyLIV.
Both teams struggled to get going in the game because of the conditions as it was raining heavily. Delhi FC seemed to manage the conditions well and as a result took the lead in the 6th minute of the game. Bhupinder Singh put in a cross from the right wing which was misjudged by HFC goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh. Himanshu Jangra who forced the mistake, poked it into the empty goal giving the side from Delhi the lead. Hyderabad FC players who rely on their flair and quick passing found it difficult to create any chances. HFC got their best chance to equalize in the 27th minute through a corner. The ball beat the defence and found Aaren D Silva who was unmarked at the far post, but he shot wide. Himanshu Jangra forced Gurmeet Singh to make an acrobatic save in the closing stages of the half.
The rain stopped before the start of the second half and conditions became better suited for Hyderabad who started to control the game. Mohammed Yasir and Ramhlunchhunga started their pacey runs creating problems for the Delhi defence. The equalizer came through a corner kick from one such run.
Ramhlunchhunga took the corner kick which beat everybody inside the box including Delhi FC goalkeeper Pawan Kumar and found the back of the net. Hyderabad were looking dangerous going forward but Delhi defended resiliently and also were a threat in the counter attacks. They almost stole the game in the final minutes of the game when Himanshu Jangra’s shot just rolled past the post.
Hyderabad FC will face Chennaiyin FC in their next match on 10th August while Delhi FC will face Tribhuvan Army FC, Nepal on 9th August. Both matches will be played at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.
The inaugural edition happened in Shimla in 1888, when it started off as an Army Cup, open only to the British Indian Army troops in India, but soon opened up to civilian teams. Named after its founder, Sir Mortimer Durand, Foreign Secretary of British India from 1884 to 1889 the iconic tournament reached its 132nd edition in 2023. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have been the most successful teams, winning the tournament 16 times each.
