Jamshedpur FC is heading to Calcutta next month for the 130th edition of Durand Cup to be played between September 5 to October 3 in Bengal.
The prestigious tournament, the oldest existing fixture in Asia and the third oldest in the history of football, will be organised by the Indian Army on behalf of the Armed Forces, as is the tradition.
The Jamshedpur FC squad will comprise of five senior team players (Niraj, Vishal, Jitendra Singh, Sandip Mandi and Bhupender Singh) along with the under-18 cadets of the club’s academy (Tata Football Academy). The team will be playing under the guidance of Noel Wilson who has been named head coach for the tournament.
The Durand Cup will be a 16-team competition divided into 4 groups. Jamshedpur FC will be participating along with 4 other Indian Super League (ISL) clubs (FC Goa, Kerala Blasters, Bengaluru FC and Hyderabad FC), 3 I-League teams (Mohammedan SC, Gokulam Kerala, Sudeva FC), 2 Second Division I-League clubs (FC Bengaluru United and Delhi FC), along with Indian Army teams (Red & Green), Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, CRPF and Assam Rifles.
“It’s going to be a good experience for the team. The young players are craving to play in tournaments and the Durand Cup could not have come at a better time for us. The tournament will provide a good platform for the players to know where they stand and gain competitive minutes,” said Noel Wilson.
The Durand Cup is one of the most anticipated and renowned competitions in the world.
Due to the raging pandemic, the tournament had to be put on hold keeping in mind the safety of the players and staff. Now, after a year’s break, the tournament is all set to make a comeback and kick-off the games once again with the support and encouragement from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), IFA (West Bengal) and the government of West Bengal.
The winning team in the Durand Cup gets their hands on 3 trophies: The President’s Cup, the Durand Cup and the Shimla Trophy.
The Jamshedpur side include Niraj Kumar, Vishal Yadav, Arman Tamang, Mohit Singh Dhami (goalkeepers), Sandip Mandi, Rishi, Piyush Thakur, Kojam Beyong, Saphaba Singh Telem, Aryan Sonowal, Gopal Hembrom, Raj Mukhi, Ankit Toppo (defenders), Jitendra Singh, Bhupender Singh, Anand Kumar, Keisam Angelo Singh, Nayan Tamang, Robin Das, Advait Sumbly, Hijam Lenin Singh, Khullakpam Sakir Ali, Sorokhaibam Nongpoknganba Meitei, Phijam Vikash Singh,Deepak Hansda (midfielders) Nikhil Barla and Lalruatmawia (forwards), Noel Wilson (head coach), Akshay Das (assistant coach) and Subrata Dasgupta (goalkeeping coach).
Table Tennis
Bistupur Badsha won the Ultimate table tennis tournament which concluded at JRD Tata Sports Complex on Monday evening. Telco Twister stood runner-up while Sonari Super finished third. East Singhbhum District Table Tennis Association (ESDTTA) vice-president Mukul Choudhari and OP Mishra handed over the prizes. The event was organised by ESDTT in association with Tata Steel sports wing.
District Chess
The East Singhbhum District Senior Women's Hybrid Online Chess Championship will be played on August 27 between 10 am and 4.30 pm. Top 10 finishers will receive trophies. Entry fee has been fixed at Rs 300 per participant. The event marks the birth anniversary of Sir Dorabji Tata, the first president of Indian Olympic Association.
