Durand Cup 2025: ITBP Edge Past 10-Men Karbi Anglong Morning Star In Group D
Indo Tibetan Border Police FT beat Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC 2-1 in their Durand Cup debut. Goals from Diamary and Bhujel secured the win after Haokip's opener for KAMSFC.
Durand Cup debutants Indo Tibetan Border Police FT edged past ten men Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC 2-1 in the Group D opener of the 134th Durand Cup which was played here at the SAI Stadium. Lunminlen Haokip gave the lead for Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC but goals from Pulung Diamary and Hemraj Bhujel gave the para military side the victory and three crucial points.
Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC (KAMSFC) Head Coach C A Laldinsang Pudaite named a strong line up which included three foreigners in Joseph Olaleye, Victor Jackson and Ben Nash Quansh while ITBF FT Head Coach Surojit Kumar named a strong line up in a traditional 4-4-2 formation.
Both debutant teams were trying to take control of the midfield which made an intriguing battle with both sides cancelling each other out in the centre of the field. KAMSFC, who play in I-League 3, were reduced to ten men in just the 23rd minute when Ghanaian centre back Ben Nash Quansh received a direct red card for a reckless two footed challenge. The referee has no choice but to send off the defender.
ITBP took control of possession using the man advantage but it was the side from Assam who drew first blood. Lunminlen Haokip neatly finished a counter attacking move to give his side the lead in the 30th minute. The striker could have doubled the lead minutes later when he pounced on a mistake by the ITBP goalkeeper Ugesh Lama. The goalkeeper could not gather a cross cleanly and Lunminlen who was lurking around pounced but could not put the finishing touches.
ITBP equalised in the final minute of first half regulation time through Pulung Daimary, whose neat side footed finish found the bottom right corner after taking a deflection of the defender.
KAMSFC were brave with their attacking plays, without fearing about the man disadvantage with Joseph Olaleye creating the most trouble, but there weren't any clear cut chances that troubled the ITBP goalkeeper. ITBP scored the second goal in the 60th minute with a neat team move. Srikumar Karjee received a long diagonal pass in the right wing and the winger fended off two defenders and drilled a low cross into the box which was expertly finished by Hemraj Bhujel past the diving goalkeeper Gojen Hanse.
The Assam side could not create any meaningful chances even after having the ball inside the opposition's half as the man disadvantage made it difficult to have more people inside the box. The best chance to equalise came deep into stoppage time but ITBP goalkeeper punched a header by Lunminlen which was heading into the goal. ITBP maintained the slender advantage until the final whistle and secured three crucial points in the group.
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First Published:
July 27, 2025, 18:31 IST
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