Durand Cup 2024: Indian Army through to knockouts

Indian Army showed some brilliant display of football in the second half of the Durand Cup game.

The Indian Army Football Team (FT) pulled off a stunning 3-2 comeback victory over Jamshedpur FC here at the JRD Tata Sports Complex Stadium, to book their place in the quarter-finals of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup. The Red Miners probably thought they had the game sealed, going into half-time 2-0 up thanks to goals from their Spanish striker Javier Siverio.

However, the Army men had other plans and scored thrice in a space of 14 minutes in the second half, to make their second consecutive Durand Cup quarters as Group D toppers with an impressive 100% win record.

Jamshedpur FC finished second with two wins from three games and six points to show, and now await the results of the other groups to see if they can sneak in as one of the two second-best sides in the six groups.

Both coaches Khalid Jamil of Jamshedpur and Manish Wahi of the Army made key changes in their starting 11 from their previous games indicating the serious challenge ahead to become group toppers.

Wahi brought in his top striker Liton Sil while Jamil started his key foreign signings in Rei Tachikawa of Japan in midfield and Javier Siverio of Spain in the forward line, benching Seiminlen Doungel and Mobashir Rahman who had started the last game.

Both sides began positively with both keepers being called to action early. Jamshedpur’s Albino Gomes saved a snapshot by Shafeel in the 6th minute while Bhabindra Thakuri of the Army also put Siverio at bay when a header by the Spaniard of a Rei Tachikawa free-kick almost went in.

The home side were then awarded a penalty when Shafeel fell all over Siverio inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot. The Spaniard made no mistake and converted calmly.

The Army did try to come back in the first half itself but Shafeel’s powerful volley shook the bar and came back. Minutes later, off a corner in the third minute of added time, substitute Shubham Sarangi headed the ball down from the far post. As the ball bounced in front of him, Aniket Jadhav executed a bicycle kick which landed in front of Siverio in front of goal and he shot home from close.

Upon resumption, it was clear from the onset that the Army were not giving up. However, they were unable to break through the Red Miners defence.

They first got one back in the 70th minute when substitute Bikash Thapa found Rahul Ramakrishnan’s run on the left with a through ball, which the latter drove forward with, to place a right-footer past Albino Gomes’ outstretched hands and into the bottom corner.

That charged the side up and Rahul then turned provider to complete the comeback as he broke in from the left again, but this time squared a pass in, which Alan Thapa finished with a blistering left-footer from just outside the six-yard box.

All hell then broke loose when Jamshedpur were dispossessed in their half and Shafeel ran on from the right and crossed for Alan, waiting just inside the top of the box in the middle.. The ball fell loose as Alan was charged by Doungel who had come in as substitute, and Bikash lurking around, stabbed a shot past Albino for the winner.

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