Durand Cup 2025: Shillong Lajong FC and Rangdajied FC face off in Shillong Derby
Both Shillong Lajong and Jamshedpur FC have started the tournament with victories against Malaysian Armed Forces and Tribhuvan Army FC, respectively.
Shillong Lajong, last year's semifinalists, got the better of Rangdajied FC with a 2-0 victory en route with the help of goals from current captain Kenstar Kharshong and Ronney Wilson, who has made the move to FC Goa.
This win was important as Shillong Lajong made a run into the semifinals, where they went down to eventual champions NorthEast United FC. They were rampant in the first group match, thrashing Malaysian Armed Forces 6-0 with Phrangki Buam and Everbrightson Sana scoring twice and Treimiki Lamurong and Deibormamae Tongper scoring one each.
The Red Dragons will hope to continue the same form against their city rivals. 'Every match is important and a must-win game for us. Rangdajied is a strong side with many young and talented players, much like our own team. I believe it will be a good contest. A win will take us one step closer to the knockout stage,' said Birendra Thapa, head coach of Shillong Lajong', said Shillong Lajong FC Head Coach Birendra Thapa.
On the other end, Rangdajied FC, who finished third in the Shillong Premier League (SPL), will look to get the better of their city rivals. Rangdajied lost both their SPL matches 1-2 to Lajong earlier in the season and will hope they put in a better performance in the Durand Cup.
Speaking ahead of the match, Rangdajied FC Head Coach Aibanjop Shadap said, 'A derby match is always special, no matter where you are in the world. We will give our best on the field to make our fans proud and aim for a positive result. But we know it will be a tough game. Lajong is a strong side with the experience of playing in the I-League and are better than us in many aspects.'
In Jamshedpur, the Red Miners will look to improve their performance from last year, when they were knocked out in the group stages after losing to Indian Army FT 2-3, despite leading 2-0 at halftime in the group decider. Jamshedpur have started the campaign with a 3-2 win over Nepal's Tribhuvan Army FC with goals from Sarthak Goloui, Manvir Singh, and Nikhil Barla. Khalid Jamil's men will look to secure their second win in the group to move closer to the knockout stage.
Khalid Jamil expressed his thoughts before the match, saying, 'It is a good sign that we are able to field young players on our squad. They should also get a chance to prove themselves. The Indian Army is a very good team. They have good players, and their coach is also good. So we can't take the match lightly. We have to work hard and focus to get positive results.'
Indian Army FT under Manish Wahi is a well-drilled and disciplined unit and will look to start their Durand Cup campaign with a win. Experienced players like Rahul Rmakrishnan, Shafeel PP, Samir Murmu, Liton Shil, Zothanpuia, and P. Christopher Kamei will use their experience to give their side a good start.
With two matches that could potentially decide the standings in the respective groups, tomorrow promises to be an exciting day in the tournament.
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