134th Durand Cup: Shillong Lajong to start QF proceedings against Indian Navy on Saturday

Kolkata, Aug 13 (IANS) I-League side Shillong Lajong FC will kick off the knockout quarterfinals stage of the 134th Durand Cup football tournament with a clash against Indian Navy FT at the Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Stadium in Shillong on Saturday (August 16).

As per the draw unveiled by the Durand Cup Organising Committee (DCOC), the eagerly awaited quarterfinal fixtures of the 134th Durand Cup will be played across four cities on August 16 and 17.

A few hours after Shillong Lajong battle it out with the Indian Navy, another side from the Northeast and a first-time quarterfinalists, Bodoland FC, will launch their bid for a place in the semifinals against defending champions NorthEast United FC at the SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar.

The two clashes on Sunday (August 17) will see ISL side Jamshedpur FC meet debutants Diamond Harbour FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur, while archrivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant will take on East Bengal in another enactment of the Kolkata Derby at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK).

All matches shall be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network (Sony Ten2 HD) and streamed on SonyLiv. Kick-off times are 4 pm for the first match and 7 pm for the second.

After the Indian Navy and Bodoland FC secured their spots in the knockouts on Tuesday (August 12), the DCOC conducted a draw of lots in the virtual presence of the team representatives of the eight qualifying teams to finalise the fixtures.

Teams were divided into East and North-East zones based on group-stage venues to minimise travel; a practice continued from last year. The draw was conducted in sync with the Indian Army’s ethos of neutrality, transparency, and impartiality.

The semifinals will also be hosted in Shillong on August 19 and in Kolkata’s VYBK on August 20.

The 134th edition of Asia’s oldest and the world’s third-oldest football tournament, organised by the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, will culminate in the grand finale at the VYBK on August 23.

A proud symbol of the country’s footballing legacy, the Durand Cup has served as a breeding ground for India’s finest talent for over a century. The inaugural edition was held in Shimla in 1888, before the tournament moved to New Delhi in 1940, where it remained for more than seven decades. For the last few years, it has been held in various venues in Eastern and Northeastern India.

--IANS

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