125th Durand Cup: Four teams qualify for Semifinals

The 125th edition of the Durand Cup, India's oldest football tournament, is being held from August 16 to September 1 at Delhi's Ambedkar Stadium. Though the top I-League clubs are giving the tournament a miss, it has so far been a chance for smaller sides to test themselves and the Durand Cup has had its surprises so far.

The Quarterfinal League stage ended today with some surprises as Air India, Assam Rifles, Sesa Football Academy and Dodsal FC qualified for the semifinals which both will be played on Thursday, August 30. There were some surprises as Air India would take on Sesa Football Academy, while Assam Rifles take on newcomers Dodsal FC.

We are still in pre-season and the rainy monsoon has left the Ambedkar Stadium pitch in a bad state. Those teams best able to cope with the situation have been the biggest gainers.

Group C saw the biggest surprise as Sesa Football Academy won the group ahead of I-League side Pune FC with PFC taking the lead in their game against the Goans in injury time, but Sesa Football Academy equalising thereafter to edge past PFC with CRPF finishing last in the group.

Air India topped Group A with four points ahead of Pailan Arrows and Delhi United, in Group B Assam Rifles got the better of I-League sides Sporting Clube de Goa and ONGC, while in Group D new boys Dodsal FC impressed with two clears wins against Army Red and Punjab Police.


FIXTURES & RESULTS

Qualifiers
Round 1
16-Aug-2012: Delhi United 2-2,7-6 Indian Navy [penalties]
16-Aug-2012: Army Green 2-0 Jammu&Kashmir Bank
17-Aug-2012: JCT Academy 2-1 Arty Centre
17-Aug-2012: Assam Rifles 4-1 Assam Service Corps
18-Aug-2012: BEG, Kirkee 0-1 Border Security Force
18-Aug-2012: Uttarakhand Police 0-6 CRPF
19-Aug-2012: Indian Air Force 0-0,3-4 Garhwal Heroes [penalties]
19-Aug-2012: Punjab Police 7-1 Subrata Academy

Round 2
20-Aug-2012: Army Green 0-2 Delhi United
20-Aug-2012: CRPF 0-0,5-3 Border Security Force [penalties]
21-Aug-2012: Assam Rifles 3-0 JCT Academy
21-Aug-2012: Garhwal Heroes 1-2 Punjab Police

Quarterfinal League
Group I
25-Aug-2012: Delhi United 2-2 Pailan Arrows
26-Aug-2012: Delhi United 0-3 Air India
28-Aug-2012: Pailan Arrows 1-1 Air India

Group II
24-Aug-2012: Sporting Club de Goa 2-3 Assam Rifles
26-Aug-2012: ONGC, Mumbai 1-1 Assam Rifles
28-Aug-2012: Sporting Club de Goa 3-1 ONGC, Mumbai

Group III
23-Aug-2012: Pune FC 0-0 CRPF
25-Aug-2012: Sesa Football Academy 3-2 CRPF
27-Aug-2012: Sesa Football Academy 1-1 Pune FC

Group IV
23-Aug-2012: Punjab Police 0-1 Army Red
25-Aug-2012: Army Red 0-3 Dodsal FC, Mumbai
27-Aug-2012: Punjab Police 0-6 Dodsal FC, Mumbai

Semifinals
30-Aug-2012: Air India - Sesa Football Academy
30-Aug-2012: Assam Rifles - Dodsal FC, Mumbai

Final
01-Sep-2012: Winner SF1 - Winner SF2