Excitement is in the air as the Indian footballing calendar is set to resume after a brief hiatus. The 133rd edition of the Durand Cup, Asia’s oldest club football tournament, is poised to launch for the 2024-25 football season. The competition will see 24 teams competing in six groups of four. Matches will be hosted across four cities: Kolkata, Kokrajhar, Shillong, and Jamshedpur. Teams from the Indian Super League (ISL), the I-League, as well as units from the Indian armed forces, will compete for dominance on the field.
The 2024-25 Durand Cup is sophisticated to showcase footballing excellence, with Group E emerging as a captivating and fiercely contested segment of the tournament. This group features a blend of ISL and formidable non-league squads, promising exhilarating matches and surprising results.
Odisha FC
The Juggernauts are poised to potentially dominate not just their group but the entire tournament, as they are fully prepared for this edition of the Durand Cup. Having narrowly missed out on reaching the final in the last season of the Indian Super League, Sergio Lobera and his team are more than prepared for the upcoming competition.
Although the team is going to field the reserve team for this Durand Cup campaign unlike many teams coming up with their main team, The Juggernauts are looking forward to giving minutes and that all-important experience to the young talents out there.
With seasoned veterans like Roy Krishna and Diego Mauricio leading the attack, and the team securing the signature of star ISL midfielder Hugo Boumous, who is set to reunite with his former teammate Mourtada Fall after three seasons, the team’s ambition in this competition is sky high when it comes to the Indian Super League after this competition. Additionally, the team has recently extended the contract for their Spanish tactician, Sergio Lobera, following a successful tenure. Although they experienced the significant loss of Japanese forward Cy Goddard, the team appears to have adequately compensated for this departure in their current lineup.
Northeast United FC
After acquiring the 7th spot in the points table last season and unfortunately missing out on the finals in the previous edition of the Durand Cup, Spanish tactician Juan Pedro Benali is once again back in business for the Highlanders this time, with all new hopes and possibly aiming to make their shift from a regular bottom table team to a team that regularly pose a threat to the opponents.
The arrival of 31-year-old Spanish striker Guillermo Fernandez provides the team with a significant boost in that veteran experience factor. Additionally, the acquisition of young talents such as Ankith P, Mayakkanan Muthu, and Robin Yadav has been successful. Despite the notable departures of Hira Mondal and Rochharzela, the current squad appears to be well-composed and ready.
Bodoland FC
Newly established Kokrajhar-based football club that represents the Bodoland Territorial Region, Bodoland FC made their debut in the Durand Cup last year and finished 3rd in the group which consisted of Rajasthan United FC, Odisha FC II, and Army Red FC. They did defeat Odisha FC II in their first consecutive season which is a notable plus point for a team like them.
The establishment of the club was aimed at fostering football and offering a platform for the region’s young talents. The club is dedicated to developing young football talent in the region, providing them with chances to display their abilities on bigger stages and compete in the upper echelons of Indian football. They recently won the 1st Inter Sixth Schedule Council Premier Football League tournament in 2022, representing Bodoland Territorial Region.
Border Security Force Football Club (BSF FC)
BSF FC (Border Security Force Football Club) is a distinguished football team in India established in the early 1970s, with the aim of promoting sports and physical fitness among BSF personnel. Representing the Border Security Force. BSF FC has a storied history in the Santosh Trophy, They won the trophy in 1968 and 1974, showcasing their dominance in Indian football during that period.
The team also had notable success in the Durand Cup before as they have been crowned as the champions 7 times ranging from the late 1960s till the late 80s. BSF FC continues to participate in various domestic tournaments. Their consistent participation reflects their enduring commitment to Indian football.
IFTWC’s Prediction
Upon examining this group, which includes potential title contenders and likely underdogs, an average football fan might wonder why this group is a bit difficult to predict. Meanwhile, there is a fraction that strongly believes Odisha FC and Northeast United FC will advance from the group. But we believe that Odisha FC will top the group and reach the semi-finals. Conversely, we expect BSF FC to perform miracles, advancing to the knockout stages and potentially causing a major upset in the competition.
Follow IFTWC for more updates on Indian Football.
