Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 2 : Shillong is all set for the grand opening of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup as the capital city of Meghalaya makes its debut as a host 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.
The second match of the day will see Downtown Heroes FC from Srinagar face Indian Air Force FT in Group A at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan for a 7 PM start.
After an elaborately planned and what promises to be a dazzling opening ceremony combined with a musical festival, I-League side Shillong Lajong will look to open their Group F campaign with a win against the experienced Tribhuvan Army. The group also includes ISL side Hyderabad FC and 2021 Durand Cup winners FC Goa. In the last edition of the tournament, Shillong Lajong 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 are always high with all our players. We do not have much information about the opposition, but the team will approach all matches with the highest 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. They managed only a single point from Group E with a draw against Delhi FC and lost the other two matches against Chennaiyin FC and Hyderabad FC.
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."
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