Today at, Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan with a delightful inaugural ceremony and match between Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Downtown Heroes FC we celebrated for the oldest football tournament in Asia “Durand Cup” with unparalleled excitement and grandeur. The tournament was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Shri Aroop Biswas, Hon’ble Minister of Youth Services & Sports, Housing and Power, Government of West Bengal in the august presence of Lt General Ram Chander Tiwari UYSM, AVSM SM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command and Patron Durand Cup Organising Committee (DCOC) and Lt. General RC Srikanth, VSM, Chief of Staff, HQ Eastern Command, Chairman DCOC.
Lt General RC Srikanth, VSM, Chief of Staff, HQ Eastern Command and Chairman, Durand Cup Organizing Committee, said, “We are happy and excited like everyone as the 133rd Durand Cup kicks-off here today. We are striving to make the Durand bigger and better every year to forge a stronger civil-military relationship and to inspire the youth for a brighter, fitter and productive future. We look forward to a glorious edition of the Durand Cup. In the grand opening ceremony before the kick off there was various cultural performances. And as followed by the tradition the Army’s were represented all three Shimla Trophy, President Cup and Durand Cup into the field.
In today’s evening, last year’s champion Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Kashmir’s Downtown Heroes has played the inaugural match of Durand Cup 2024. The second Durand for Downtown Heroes. Today in the opening match of 133rd edition of the Durand Cup 2024, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Downtown Heroes faced off for the first time in their history. In the starting XI of Mohun Bagan Super Giant there was their new singing Tom Ardred today.
Before the match Mohun Bagan Super Giant coach Bastab Roy said their opponent is totally unknown for them, so the match begins with lots of excitement. Both of the teams started the match with high pressing football and a solid defense. At 20’th minute Ashish Rai played a floated ball for Suhail Bhat but Downtown Heroes keeper Umaid comes out to collect it early. At 26’th minute of the match Tom Aldred committed a foul on Aafreen Bashatat in just outside off the box, from a good scoring distance, Mohammed Asrat took that set piece but it was off target.
Within four minutes from an attack Mohun Bagan got a golden chance, from the right wing Glan Martins passed the ball to Suhail Bhat into the box but he couldn’t place the ball into the net. At 33’rd minute from a counter attack from the left flank, Aafreen Bashatat passed the ball to Darious Snorton with the ball he goes very close to the net and took a shot but it was off target, a missed usage of a golden opportunity. At 44’th minute Tom Aldred conceded a yellow for his rough tackel on Snorton in the outside of the box, he was on the goalbound run. Mohun Bagan Super Giant defense was under a bit pressure throughout the first half.
In the second half, at 61’st minute Taison Singh took a long ranger shot, but direct to the goalkeeper, the shot was not that powerful but first on target shot in the second half for Mohun Bagan SG. At 73’rd minute from a well Combined play Mohun Bagan Super Giant got their leading score.
Taison Singh passed the ball to Ashish Rai in the right flank, he send the ball to Suhail Bhat and without any delay he took a strike and scored the first goal of Durand Cup 2024, and celebrated the most iconic celebration “Siuu” Inspired by his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.
At 83’rd minute Snorton goes for an attack and collided with Mohun Bagan Super Giant keeper Zahid, from this rush moment the keeper got injured, coach Bastab Roy has to made two forced changed, Zahid got replaced by Dheeraj Singh, and caused another injury Sumit Rathi got replaced by Saurabh Bhanwala. After breaking the deadlock Mohun Bagan Super Giant started defensive play. The match has been ended up one-nil in favour of the defending champion today.
Downtown Heroes has played attacking game in today’s match, their forward Darious Snorton played well today, and has tested the MBSG keeper so many times. Throughout the match Mohun Bagan Super Giant was looked a bit scattered in the midfield, and there was no creativity. In today’s match there was seemed a bit lack of leadership, so they couldn’t maintain high performance standards. But the goal has changed the momentum of the match. Today’s Man Of the Match was The one & only scorer Suhail Ahmed Bhat, a boy from Kashmir scored against his local club and brings a victory for his team.
Key statistics of Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Downtown Heroes match :
BALL POSSESSION: Mohun Bagan SG 51%, Downtown Heroes 49%
SHOTS: Mohun Bagan SG 8, Downtown Heroes 12
SHOTS ON TARGET: Mohun Bagan SG 2, Downtown Heroes 2
FOULS: Mohun Bagan SG 9, Downtown Heroes 8
YELLOW CARDS: Mohun Bagan SG 1, Downtown Heroes 3
CORNERS: Mohun Bagan SG 3, Downtown Heroes 8
OFFSIDES: Mohun Bagan SG 1, Downtown Heroes 2
