Durand Cup: Home favourites hope for strong start to wrest early advantage
Top Indian Super League (ISL) teams Emami East Bengal FC (16-time former winners) and Jamshedpur FC (former ISL League Winners Shield winners) kick-off one after another on the first two match days, while at least three local derbies, featuring other top local contenders like Mohammedan Sporting (former champions), Shillong Lajong FC and Neroca FC (former finalists), are also likely to garner significant local interest. With teams like ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, defending champions NorthEast United FC and ISL side Punjab FC beginning in week two, early three points will give a fillip to the early starters looking to seal knockout berths.
The openers
The two games down in the plains before moving up to the beautiful hills of the North East, features giants East Bengal against Bengaluru League top division side South United FC in a tricky Group A opener, also the first game of the tournament, at home at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata.
That will be followed the next day by Jamshedpur taking on Nepal's Tribhuvan Army at their home at the JDR Tata Sports Complex in the Steel City. The Red Miners also play their second Group C game in week one, against the Malaysian Army outfit this time and nothing short of two wins will satisfy their growing fan base.
Likewise, now with a new line-up of foreign recruits in their camp, fans of the Red & Gold brigade will demand nothing less than a confident win in their opener.
The three derbies
The first derby of the 134th IndianOil Durand Cup, this year features a different kind of Kolkata derby, with the century-old Mohammedan Sporting taking on Calcutta Premier Division League rivals Diamond Harbour FC (DHFC), the I-League 2 champions. Mohammedan are looking for their first win over the newly formed and fast rising outfit, with DHFC winning one of the two matches played between them so far.
The second will see the ever-popular Shillong Lajong FC, take on another Shillong side Rangdaijed United, with both teams on the path to regain lost glory. The Shillong derby will be played at the JLN stadium as the opening game of Group E.
The final derby of week one will witness the famous Imphal derby between old rivals Neroca FC and TRAU FC as the Durand Cup makes a return to the capital of Manipur. It will sure be a treat to see the picturesque Khuman Lampak packed with football lovers once again.
Matches live: Sony Ten2 and SonyLIV
Source: Organisers
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
17 hours ago
- The Hindu
Durand Cup 2025: East Bengal takes on South United FC to kick off 134th edition
East Bengal will take on debutant South United FC in the lung opener of the 134th edition of the Durand Cup at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Wednesday. The organisers of Asia's oldest football tournament have arranged a grand opening ceremony, which will be attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The tournament has been limited by the absence of the majority of the teams from the Indian Super League (ISL), who have apparently pulled out owing to the uncertainty surrounding the start of the country's top league this season. However, six ISL sides, including the three from Kolkata — Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Mohammedan Sporting SC, apart from East Bengal, have confirmed their participation in the 24-team tournament. The three other ISL teams in the fray are NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC and Punjab FC, who have been placed in different groups. ALSO READ | Former India international Aditi Chauhan to mentor Mumbai-based Warriorz FC The rest of the field is filled by teams from I-League and I-League 2, in addition to Services and Paramilitary forces. Tribhuvan Army FC of Nepal and a combined side of the Malaysian Armed Forces are the two foreign entries completing the league stage, which will see the 24 teams divided into six groups. The league matches will be played in five cities — Kolkata (two groups), Jamshedpur, Shillong, Kokrajhar and Imphal — from where eight teams (six group winners and two best runners-up) will qualify for the quarterfinals.
The Hindu
17 hours ago
- The Hindu
East Bengal to take on debutant South United FC in Durand Cup opener
Emami East Bengal will take on debutant South United FC in the lung opener of the 134th edition of the Durand Cup at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Wednesday. The organisers of the Asia's oldest football tournament have arranged a grand opening ceremony which will be attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The tournament has been limited by the absence of the majority of the teams from the Indian Super League (ISL), who have apparently pulled out owing to the uncertainty surrounding the start of the country's top league this season. However, six ISL sides including the three from Kolkata — Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Mohammedan Sporting SC apart from East Bengal — have confirmed their participation in the 24-team tournament. The three other ISL teams in the fray are NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC and Punjab FC who have been placed in different groups. The rest of the field is filled up by teams from I-league and I-League 2 in addition to Services and Paramilitary forces. Tribhuvan Army FC of Nepal and a combined side of the Malaysian Armed Forces are the two foreign entries completing the league stage, which will see the 24 teams divided into six groups. The league matches will be played in five cities — Kolkata (two groups), Jamshedpur, Shillong, Kokrajhar and Imphal — from where eight teams (six group winners and two best runners-up) will qualify for the quarterfinals.
New Indian Express
20 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Durand Cup kicks off amid uncertainty in Indian football
KOLKATA: The 134th edition of Durand Cup kicks off here Wednesday with East Bengal facing South United FC amid a cloud of uncertainty surrounding the upcoming top-tier domestic football season. The pre-season action will begin against the backdrop of a stalemate between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) over the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA), which governs the operations and commercial structure of the top-tier Indian Super League. The MRA expires on December 8, and with no breakthrough yet, the very future of India's top-tier league remains in limbo ahead of its scheduled September start. In the midst of this impasse, the Durand Cup has retained its significance as the traditional curtain-raiser for Indian football. The competition continues to draw a full roster of 24 teams despite only six ISL clubs confirming participation this year. East Bengal's big rebuild The spotlight on Wednesday will be firmly on East Bengal, who have been among the busiest clubs in the transfer market. Determined to turn around their fortunes after a forgettable 2024-25 campaign, where they finished ninth in the ISL, made an early Super Cup exit, and bowed out of the AFC Challenge League in the quarterfinals, the Kolkata giants have rung in major changes under Spanish coach Oscar Bruzon. Key signings include Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira, Argentine defender Kevin Sibille, and Palestinian international Mohammed Rashid. They join full-back Jay Gupta, who completed a multi-year move from FC Goa after a successful stint with the Gaurs. Bruzon has released foreign stars Hijazi Maher, Mahdi Talal, and Messi Bouli in a bid to freshen up his squad and end the club's long trophy drought.
