Football
Kolkata back as Durand Cup host; final to be held at Salt Lake Stadium
The city police have given a go-ahead to the semifinal and final after the cancellation of the derby between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.
North East United FC and Shillong Lajong FC will play the first semifinal on August 25 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. (Photo Credit: Durand Cup)
Kolkata will host one of the semifinals and finals of the Durand Cup as scheduled, with Shillong hosting the game between the home team Shillong Lajong, and NorthEast United FC.
Durand Cup Organizing Committee (DCOC) decided to reinstate the matches in the city after the police gave the go-ahead to the last three knock-out matches at the Salt Lake Stadium.
There was uncertainty over whether the semifinal and final matches of the 133rd edition of the Durand Cup would take place in Kolkata following the cancellation of the famous derby between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan last Sunday in the wake of widespread protest in the city over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a city hospital.
On Tuesday, the club secretaries of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting held a joint press conference, expressing hope that the knockout matches would be held in the city as scheduled.
Subsequently, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey requested West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to reinstate the Durand Cup matches in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Kolkata will host the quarterfinal clash between Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters FC on Friday.
The first semifinal which will take place on August 25 is between North East United FC and Shillong Lajong FC, in Shillong. The decision to make this change has been taken in light of the results of the quarterfinal matches held yesterday.
Both matches saw thrilling performances from Northeast United FC and Shillong Lajong FC, whose victories have fuelled immense excitement and anticipation among their fan bases.
In response to overwhelming requests from supporters of both these teams, and in recognition of the traditional significance of the chosen venue as a stronghold of support for these clubs, we have decided to relocate the semifinal match between Northeast United FC and Shillong Lajong FC to Shillong and reschedule it one day later, i.e. 26 August.
This move is aimed at ensuring that the fans, who are the heart and soul of the tournament, can experience the excitement of this crucial match in an environment that resonates with the deep-rooted football traditions of their teams.
The second semifinal will take place on August 27 in Kolkata. The final will be held on August 31.
