Durand Cup 2023: NorthEast United eye knockouts berth against Downtown Heroes

NorthEast United, if they win, will qualify as a best group runner-up.

If NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) win against the Downtown Heroes of Kashmir, a most likely scenario basis evidence so far, the following fixture of the 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup on Sunday (August 20, 2023) between Mohammedan Sporting and Jamshedpur FC in Kolkata, would entail one of the two winning very big, to harbour any chances of knockout qualification. 

The first Group D game at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium kicks-off at 2:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) whereas the second between the Black & White Brigade and the Red Miners has an evening 4:45 PM IST start.

A win against Kashmir’s Downtown Heroes, who have lost both their group games so far and have looked out of sorts, will be enough for NorthEast United FC to go through to their first knockout stage of the Durand Cup. And they certainly deserve to do so on the football they have played in the tournament so far.

The Highlanders riding on a Parthib Gogoi hat-trick first routed Shillong Lajong 4-0 and then held the might of FC Goa 2-2 in an exciting encounter where they never looked second best. Downtown Heroes on the other hand, besides their 0-3 loss to Goa, went down to a 10-man Shillong after being ahead by a goal.

Given they have no future in the tournament and the Highlanders are on a high, it will be difficult for the Kashmir side to stop their opponents at home.

NorthEast United's last game

In a pulsating encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats, FC Goa held NorthEast United FC to a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in the Durand Cup on Saturday.

The draw helped the Gaurs retain their top spot in Group D of the tournament, having now secured four points from two matches. The Highlanders, who have the same number of points from the same number of games, are in second position on goal difference.