The 2023 Durand Cup League stage came to a close with Bengaluru FC registering a 2-0 win over Gokulam Kerala FC in a dead rubber.
A total of eight teams – top teams from each of the six groups and the two best second-placed teams, have advanced to the knockout stages of the competition.
The quarter-finalists for 132nd edition of Asia oldest football tournament include six Indian Super League teams – Chennaiyin, FC Goa, NorthEast United FC, Mumbai City FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and East Bengal FC.
The other two teams in the final eight are I-League’s Gokulam Kerala FC, and Indian Army’s Army Red FC.
Defending champions Bengaluru FC, who sent in their reserve team for the tournament, crashed out in the group stage alongside the likes of Kerala Blasters FC, Jamshedpur FC and others.
Here’s how things panned out during the group stage:
Group A
East Bengal FC emerged on top of the four-team Group A to book themselves a spot in the quarter-finals. They triumphed in the much anticipated Kolkata derby against city rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant and also defeated Punjab FC, who finished last in the group.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant, who finished second in the group, made it to the knockouts as one of the two best second-placed teams, after missing out in the previous edition of the tournament.
Bangladesh Army took the third spot in the group with a draw each against East Bengal and Punjab FC. They lost to Mohun Bagan 0-5.
Group B
The previous edition’s runners-up Mumbai City FC are the only team to make out of Group B to the quarter-finals. The Islanders enjoyed an unbeaten run and are on a three-match winning streak in the tournament.
ISL counterparts Jamshedpur FC once again failed to advance to the knockouts, finishing third in the group behind Mohammedan FC. Their only victory in the tournament came against Indian Navy, who lost all their three matches.
Group C
Pitted against defending champions Bengaluru FC and an ISL team from the same region Kerala Blasters, who brought in their first team for the competition, Gokulam Kerala FC topped the group against the odds.
Even though they lost their final match against Bengaluru FC, the convincing victories against Kerala Blasters and Indian Air Force was enough to see them through.
The Blasters, meanwhile, endured a horrid run even after fielding their first team. Not only did they lose the Kerala derby to Gokulam, they were even held to a draw by the Bengaluru FC, who fielded their reserve team for the competition, to finish third in the group with a solitary win over Indian Air Force.
Group D
The two ISL outfits in the group – FC Goa and NorthEast United FC, advanced to the knockouts ahead of Shillong Lajong and debutants Downtown Heroes FC.
While Goa topped the group to earn a direct qualification, thanks to a better goal difference, NorthEast went through as one of the two best second-placed teams in the tournament.
Downtown Heroes ended their campaign with three successive defeats, with Shillong Lajong registering their only win against the Srinagar team.
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Group E
The semi-finalists of the previous edition, Hyderabad FC, were in for a rude shock, as a new-look Chennaiyin FC piped them to advance to the knockouts with three successive victories.
Playing under a new coach in Conor Nestor, Hyderabad FC, who finished second in the 2022-23 ISL standings, were even held to a draw by the newly promoted second division I-League side Delhi FC.
Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army finished on the bottom of the group with a solitary draw against Delhi FC.
Group F
Indian Army made it through to the knockouts from Group F with two wins and a draw.
Last year’s breakout stars Rajasthan United finished second with a solitary win against Bodoland FC, whereas ISL’s Odisha FC, who fielded their reserve team finished last.
Quarter-final draws
Quarter-final 1 - (August 24, 2023 at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati): NorthEast United FC vs Indian Army
Quarter-final 2 - (August 25, 2023 at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata): East Bengal FC vs Gokulam Kerala FC
Quarter-final 3 - (August 26, 2023 at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati): FC Goa vs Chennaiyin FC
Quarter-final 4 - (August 27, 2023 at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata): Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Mumbai City FC
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