Shillong, Aug 21: The first two quarterfinals of the 133rd Durand Cup 2024 will be held today in Kokrajhar and Shillong.
While NorthEast United FC take on Indian Army in the first at 4PM in Kokrajhar, our attention will definitely be on the second of the two knockout matches, here at the JN Stadium between Shillong Lajong FC and last year’s runners-up East Bengal. The match will begin at 7PM.
East Bengal qualified for the knockouts by virtue of being one of the two best second-placed teams in the tournament. They will be up against a confident Lajong, who qualified for the quarterfinals by topping Group F.
The Red & Golds will have their task cut out in front of what is expected to be a packed stadium of Lajong supporters. The visitors will rely on their star-studded side, with new signings Madih Talal, Dimitrios Diamantakos, David Lalhlansanga and Jeakson Singh hitting the ground running and with the old guard of Hijazi Maher, Saul Crespo, Mahesh Singh and Cleiton Silva to back them up.
East Bengal have always had at least a few travelling fans come and support them in Shillong, back to when both sides played against each other in the I-League and there should be a few tonight as well.
Coach Carles Cuadrat thanked the fans for their support, saying yesterday, “For the fans who are travelling I want to let them know that your support is important because it’s going to be a full house stadium tomorrow for this important match”.
On the other hand, SLFC were impressive in the group stages with a squad almost entirely made up of players from Meghalaya. However, their group competitors were a different level to East Bengal – FC Goa brought their second team, Tribhuvan Army FC of Nepal didn’t threaten and Rangdajied United FC were under-prepared given they were last minute substitutes for Hyderabad FC, who backed out late in the day.
Still, Lajong captain Hardy Cliff Nongbri, Phrangki Buam and Everbrightson Sana have impressed with their performances and it will be they and Brazilians Daniel Goncalves and Marcos Rudwere Silva who will be critical for the hosts’ chances of creating an upset in the quarterfinals.
Speaking ahead of the match, Lajong coach Jose Rodriguez Hevia said, “We have been analysing the game of East Bengal from their previous matches and from our plan and training system we are moving the pieces to have all the chances to cancel the offensive game of East Bengal and to have all the options of scoring, but without losing our identity of playing with high intensity, quick movements of the ball, quick attacks that can make them very uncomfortable throughout the match.”
(Durand Cup media file photo)
