By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 1: Shillong is all set for the grand opening of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup as the capital city of Meghalaya makes its debut as hosts of Asia’s oldest football tournament. Home side Shillong Lajong FC will be adding to the festival mood in the city, taking on Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FC in the Group F opener at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium with the kick-off scheduled for 4 PM IST.
All 43 matches of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup will be broadcast LIVE on the Sony Sports Network (Sony Ten2 HD) as well as livestreamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform
I-League side Shillong Lajong will look to open their Group F campaign with a win against the experienced Tribhuvan Army with the group also including ISL side Hyderabad FC and 2021 Durand Cup winners FC Goa. In the last edition of the tournament, they finished third in Group D with three points winning against Downtown Heroes FC and losing the other two matches against FC Goa and NorthEast United FC.
Speaking ahead of the game, Head Coach of Shillong Lajong Jose Hevia said, “The expectations for the tournament are always high and we are in a positive mood. Although the number of practice sessions have been few before the first match, the commitment, intensity and willingness to improve continuously is always high in with all our players. We do not have much information about the opposition but the team will approach all matches with the biggest intensity and commitment.”On the other hand, Tribhuvan Army who made their debut in the 132nd IndianOil Durand Cup will look to give a better account of themselves with some inspired performances.
Expressing his thoughts about the game, Tribhuvan Army FC Head Coach Meghraj KC said, “We could not perform well last year in our debut in the tournament but this year we are well prepared and aim to qualify for the next round from the group. Shillong Lajong is a good side and we are expecting a good match tomorrow against them.”
