Naveen Uraon
THE fate of top Goan teams will be decided this Saturday on October 11, 2014, during a Curtain Raiser and Draw of lots Ceremony scheduled to be held at 5:00 PM onwards. The ceremony will be held in Bambolim Stadium, Panjim and will be open to all citizens free of cost. Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, will be the chief guest for the event. In addition to draw of lots and finalisation of pools there will be entertainment program including release of Durand Song, Malkhamb, Kalaripayattu and Taekwondo Displays and scintillating band performance. Veteran footballers of the country will also be facilitated during the event.
According to defence spokesperson, the Durand Cup being the Oldest football Tournament of Asia, and naturally of India, will this year again have, more than 20 top football teams of the country participating. 16 teams will be battle in the qualifier stage of which three teams will qualify to the quarter final stage. 9 teams have already been seeded in the quarter final stage based on Indian League Ranking. The preliminary rounds of the tournament are scheduled from 20 -27 October 2014 and the quarterfinal stage onwards will be held from 29 October to 08 November 2014.
Three teams from Goa Salgaocar FC, Churchill Brothers SC and Sporting Clube de Goa have been seeded into the Quarter Final Stages of the tournament and will relish home turf and staunch home crowds. Other local teams that will compete in the Preliminary Round to qualify for the Quarter Final Stage are: The Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim, Sesa Football Academy, Tuff Laxmi Prasad Sports Club, Goa Velha Sports Club and The Corps of Signals Football Team.
Names of teams which have been selected for the tournament in the two stages are listed below.
A Brief on the three Goan Teams seeded in the quarterfinal stage of the tournament is placed below. The crests of these teams are also attached.
TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN DURAND CUP FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT – 2014
| Preliminary Stage | Quarter Final Stage | ||
| 1. | Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim | 1. | Bengaluru FC |
| 2. | Sesa Football Academy | 2. | Air India |
| 3. | Tuff Laxmi Prasad Sports Club | 3. | Salgaocar FC |
| 4. | Goa Velha Sports Club | 4. | Sporting Clube de Goa |
| 5. | Indian Air Force | 5. | Pune FC |
| 6. | Dalbir Football Academy | 6. | United Sports Club |
| 7. | Southern Samity | 7. | Churchill Brothers SC |
| 8. | Army Green | 8. | Mohammedan Sporting Club |
| 9. | Garhwal Rifles | 9. | Indian Navy |
| 10. | Corps of Signals | 10. | Qualifier-1 |
| 11. | BEG Centre | 11. | Qualifier-2 |
| 12. | All India Football Federation | 12. | Qualifier-3 |
| 13. | Youngsters Club | ||
| 14. | Oil India Ltd | ||
| 15. | Vasco Sports Club (Goa) | ||
| 16. | Army Red | ||
Brief on three Goan teams seeded in quarterfinal
SALGAOCAR FC, founded in 1956, became the first Goan team to be extended an invitation to play in the prestigious Durand Cup in New Delhi in 1962, and such was the joy of a Goan team’s participation in the Durand Cup, that the Late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru felicitated the team at his residence. Nicknamed ‘The Greens’, they are coached by Derrick Pereira, who has been a playing member with Salgaocar FC, for a long time. The Salgaocar FC has been past Durand champions in 1999 & 2003, and is looking to repeat that performance on home soil.
Churchill Brothers SC was founded in Margao, Goa in 1988. In its 26 year history, the team has achieved tremendous success, winning the I League in 2008-09 & 2012-13, The IFA Shield in 2009 & 2011, and The Durand Cup in 2007, 2009 & 2011. This success, despite rarely having long term managers, is indeed commendable. Nicknamed ‘The Red Machine’, they are presently coached by Nigerian Joseph Afusi, and are sweating for a victory on home soil.
Sporting Clube de Goa was founded in 1999 by the public of Panjim, after Cidade de Goa decided to disband its team. They were Runners Up to Dempo in the 2003-04 National Football League season. They were Runners Up to Mohun Bagan in the 2005 FA Cup (Penalty Shoot Out), and Runners Up, yet again, to Army XI in the 2005 Durand Cup. Nicknamed the ‘Flaming Orange’, and coached by Spaniard Oscar Bruzon, they too have ambitious Durand Cup plans this year.