Durand Cup: Jamshedpur into last eight after 6-0 win
Jamshedpur FC beat Indian Air Force FT 6-0 at Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi on Thursday to progress to the quarterfinals of the 135th Durand Cup. Raynier Fernandes opened in the fourth minute and 17-year-old Lawmsangzuala finished with a hat-trick; Aman C.K. and Rayan C. also contributed to the scoreline.
Shillong Lajong FC drew 3-3 with Langsning FC in the concluding Group E fixture at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, finishing top of the group. Joao Morais scored twice in the first half (25, 30) to put Lajong ahead, Kyrmenskhem Mukhim (49) and Wadajied Kynsai Ryngkhlem (63) pulled Langsning level after the break, Everbrightson Sana restored Lajong’s lead in the 82nd minute and Syed Ahmed equalised in stoppage time (90+1). Lajong topped Group E with seven points while Langsning finished on five and was eliminated. The group winners — Mohun Bagan SG, Indian Army FT, Sporting Club Delhi, FC Raengdai, Shillong Lajong FC and NorthEast United FC — qualified automatically for the quarterfinals, and East Bengal FC (+12) and Jamshedpur (+10) claimed the two best-runners-up spots, edging out Samaleswari Sporting Club and Bodoland FC on goal difference.
Jamshedpur’s six-goal haul came through a sequence of finishes: Raynier Fernandes 4, Lawmsangzuala 55, 64, 80, Aman C.K. 71 and Rayan C. 84. Raynier Fernandes’s fourth-minute strike set the tone for the match. The 17-year-old Lawmsangzuala netted twice after the interval before completing his treble in the 80th minute. Aman C.K. added a goal in the 71st minute and Rayan C. closed the scoring in the 84th.
At Shillong, Joao Morais gave Shillong Lajong a half-time lead with goals in the 25th and 30th minutes. Langsning’s Kyrmenskhem Mukhim reduced the deficit in the 49th minute and Wadajied Kynsai Ryngkhlem levelled in the 63rd. Everbrightson Sana put Lajong back in front in the 82nd minute but Syed Ahmed’s 90+1 strike prevented a Lajong win.
In Guwahati, Bodoland FC defeated Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC 6-0. Halicharan Narzary scored on 11 (pen), 28, 84 and 90+4, Kaushik Daimari added a goal in the 51st minute and Gwgwmsar Gayary scored in the 89th.
The quarterfinal fixtures will be announced later, with the automatic qualifiers and the two best runners-up set to contest the last eight: Mohun Bagan SG, Indian Army FT, Sporting Club Delhi, FC Raengdai, Shillong Lajong FC, NorthEast United FC, East Bengal FC and Jamshedpur FC.