In the 133rd Durand Cup, Mohammedan Sporting SC finally secured its first victory of the tournament. They defeated the Indian Navy FT by a single goal in their concluding Group B league match, held at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday. Midfielder Sujit Singh scored the decisive goal in the 25th minute, securing the full three points for Mohammedan Sporting, who finished their campaign with a total of four points. This win came after a previous loss to Bengaluru FC, who went on to qualify for the quarterfinals with an undefeated record. Mohammedan Sporting ultimately finished in second place, while the Indian Navy suffered a loss in all three of their matches. Inter Kashi, despite tying Mohammedan Sporting in points, fell to third place due to an inferior goal difference. However, Mohammedan Sporting’s chances of advancing are slim, as five teams with six or more points are vying for the two quarterfinal spots reserved for the best runners-up.
Meanwhile, in Shillong, Tribhuvan Army FC of Nepal emerged victorious in their Group F match, defeating local challenger Rangdajied United FC 2-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Forward Gillespye Karki was the star of the match, scoring both goals for the Nepalese Army team. His first goal came in the 21st minute, and he followed up with a penalty conversion in the 57th minute. This win marked the first for the Nepalese Army team, who finished third in the group with three points. Rangdajied, who replaced Hyderabad FC after they failed to appear, lost all three matches and finished at the bottom of the group. Host Shillong Lajong FC and FC Goa currently occupy the top two positions in the group with six points each and will face off on August 17th to determine which team advances to the quarterfinal stage.
