Shillong, Aug 10: Already through to the quarterfinals of the 134th Durand Cup, NorthEast United will aim to wrap up the group stage with a flawless record when they take on Rangdajied United in the final Group E fixture at the JN Stadium here on Monday. Kick-off will be at 7PM.
The Highlanders booked their place in the knockouts with a gritty 2-1 win over Shillong Lajong on Friday. Both sides are tied on 6 points from two games, but NEUFC are in front on head-to-head.
On the other hand, Rangdajied are yet to register a point in the tournament, having lost both their matches so far to Lajong and the Malaysian Armed Forces. They are out of the running to progress to the quarterfinals but still have pride to play for. This will also be a useful outing for them as it is this same team of players who will be used locally in the Shillong Premier League 2025.
However, NorthEast United’s coach Juan Pedro Benali emphasised that his team is focused on the game and is not thinking about the quarterfinals.
“We have qualified for the quarterfinals but that doesn’t mean the work stops. Rather, we need to work harder because we have a lot of new players, we need to know each other better and improve. We are focused on the game and, after that, we will think of the quarterfinals,” Benali said.
Moroccan forward Alaaeddine Ajaraie has been in blistering form, netting all five of NorthEast United’s goals so far – a hat-trick against Malaysian Armed Forces and a brace against Lajong.
New signings Andy Rodriguez, Chema Nunez, Jairo Samperio, Lalrinzuala and Lalbiakdika have all impressed in their debut Durand Cup campaign. Jithin MS, the MVP of the 2024 Durand Cup, has been a constant menace on the flanks with his pace and trickery.
In midfield, Rodriguez, alongside Mayakkannan and Macarton, has dictated the tempo, while the defensive unit led by captain Michel Zabaco and supported by Asheer Akhtar, Dinesh Singh, Bekey Oram, Redeem Tlang, Buanthanglun Samte, and Tondonba Singh has provided solidity. Goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh produced a stellar performance versus SLFC, standing tall under pressure.
Unbeaten in the 2024 Durand Cup and in two matches so far this year, Benali’s men will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak in the competition to nine matches when they face RUFC.
(Durand Cup media file photo)
