Semi Finals: Sunil Chhetri faces the team that discovered him in the 2002 edition of the Durand Cup

Khel Today Bureau

Mumbai: As we inch ever closer to crowning the champions of the 133rd edition of The Durand Cup; Asia’s oldest football tournament, will now enter the final stages of the competition. Starting with 24 of Indian football’s most elite teams, only four remain in the hunt for a chance at ultimate glory!

With Northeast United FC, Shillong Lajong FC, Mohan Bagan Super Giants, & Bengaluru FC, in the running to be crowned champions at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium come 31st August 2024, Indian football enthusiasts will be able to watch all the action LIVE on Sony LIV.

A Glimpse into the Semi-Final Fixtures:

• Northeast United FC vs. Shillong Lajong FC (August 26, 2024, 5:30 PM IST)
• Mohan Bagan Super Giants vs Bengaluru FC (August 27, 2024, 5:30 PM IST)

The Road to the Semi-Finals:

Northeast United FC: Taking on the tournament’s surprise package in the quarter-finals; Northeast United FC qualified for the semi-finals by defeating Indian Army FT, courtesy of two goals from their foreign contingent of Nestor & Guillermo. With both goals coming in the second half, Northeast will face Shillong Lajong FC in the first semi-final match of the tournament having maintained a perfect record of 4 games & 4 wins; scoring an impressive 13 goals and conceding only 1.

Shillong Lajong FC: Unbeaten in the competition so far, Shillong continues to showcase their grit by booking their place in the semi-finals by brushing off last season’s finalists, Emami East Bengal FC in the quarters. Scoring in the 84th minute of the game to break the deadlock, Figo’s late winner saw the club progress into the final 4 of the competition after Nanda canceled Silva’s early strike for Shillong. Conceding 2 and scoring only 6 in 4 games, Shillong will once again bank on their grit, alongside the advantage of their home support to book their place in what will be a historic final for the club!

Mohan Bagan Super Giants: Defending champions and favorites to retain the crown, the Mariners qualified for the semifinals via a penalty shootout against Punjab FC. With Stewart, Manvir & Cummins finding the net to reply to Punjab’s three goals, the game went into additional time with Kaith rising to the occasion to save 2 kicks from Denechandra & Ivan. Drawing Bengaluru in the semi-finals, the Mariners will go into the game having scored 10 goals and conceding only 3, as they look to retain their crown in front of their home support in Kolkata.

Bengaluru FC: Captained by Indian icon Sunil Chettri, Bengaluru FC has shown great promise in the cup. In the 4 games played, the club has scored 11 goals and conceded only 2. Overcoming Kerala Blasters in the quarters through Diaz in the 95th minute of extra time, Bengaluru will once again lean on their national contingent of Gurpreet, Bheke, Chettri & Suresh to push the team all the way to the finals at the Salt Lake. As storylines continue to unfold once the whistle is blown, Indian Icon Chhetri will be mindful of the opposition; having been named as one of five promising players of the 2002 edition of the Durand Cup, he was ultimately spotted by Mohun Bagan and invited for a trial at the iconic club.