Durand Cup: Jamshedpur FC ease into quarterfinals

Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) [India], August 8 (ANI): Jamshedpur FC delivered a polished and clinical performance to down 1 Ladakh FC 2-0 in Group C of the 134th Durand Cup, which was played here at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Friday and secured their place in the Durand Cup knockout stage.

An own goal from Siju in the 28th minute set the hosts on their way before defender Praful sealed the win with a close-range strike right after the restart, as per a press release.

Jamshedpur FC Head Coach Khalid Ahmed Jamil made two changes to his starting line-up bringing in forward Suhair VP and defender Sarthak Goloui in place of experienced Sourav Das and Ashutosh Mehta in 4-4-2 formation with Japanese International Rei Tachikawa in the bench while 1 Ladakh FC Head Coach Rajan Mani maintained the same starting eleven from the first match in a 4-3-3 formation.

The game opened at a frantic pace, as both teams launched forward, though neither mustered a clear-cut chance in the opening exchanges. Jamshedpur FC put on an emphatic display in the opening minutes, asserting control and carving out chances from the outset. A golden opportunity arrived early on when Pronay Das lofted a neat pass to Praful Kumar, who found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but his shot drifted wide.

The breakthrough came soon after a cleverly worked cross down the right by Vincy Barretto sent Ladakh defender Siju into an unfortunate own goal, giving the hosts a 1-0 advantage: Vincy Barretto's sharp run and low delivery from the byline laying the groundwork for the opener. The goal sparked a notable shift as Jamshedpur continued to drive forward with intensity, clearly aiming to wrap things up early, while 1 Ladakh FC struggled to find their rhythm and posed little threat in response.

As the half wound down, JFC maintained total command. The final minutes saw relentless pressure and controlled possession, with a minimum of two added minutes allowing them to sustain the pressure and take a 1-0 lead into the break.

As the teams emerged from the break, it was the home side who took firm control. A ping-pong scramble inside the box from a well-delivered free-kick ended with defender Praful swivelling crisply and rifling a close-range strike into the net, doubling Jamshedpur's advantage in the 46th minute. With the cushion secured, coach Khalid Jamil made a double substitution, smartly freshening legs without sacrificing fluidity.

Ladakh, overwhelmed and unable to mount a meaningful response, gradually faded as the minutes ticked away. Jamshedpur, meanwhile, kept the ball moving with composure, mixing patient build-up with occasional surges forward to keep their opponents under pressure.

The final whistle confirmed the Red Miners' 2-0 victory and sealed their qualification for the Durand Cup quarterfinals, with three wins in three matches. (ANI)

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