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
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