Durand Cup 2021: Defending champions Gokulam Kerala FC, Army Red enter quarters after contrasting wins

Kolkata: Defending champions Gokulam Kerala FC and Army Red entered the quarter-finals of the 130th Durand Cup football tournament from Group D in Kolkata on Sunday, beating Assam Rifles 7-2 and Hyderabad FC 2-1 respectively. The Army Red team became the second Services side after Army Green to progress to the tournament’s knockout stages. The simultaneous final group fixtures were extremely contrasting in nature. While the game between the Reds and ISL side Hyderabad FC at the Vivekananda Yubabharati Krirangan (VYBK) was tight and cagey in nature, it rained goals at the Kalyani Stadium where Assam Rifles and Gokulam Kerala squared off. The Malabarians showed no mercy and raced to an emphatic 4-1 lead by half time. Nigerian striker Chisom Elvis Chikatara gave Gokulam the lead in the very first minute. Goan forward Beneston Piecton Barretto notched a brace in the first-half while Rahim Osumanu also added to the tally. In the second half, Chikatara added a double to his name to complete his hat-trick, the first of the tournament this year. Substitute Sourav also joined the action and nicked a goal for himself in the 61st minute. Assam Rifles scored though Soibam Roger Singh (36’) and Samujal Rabha (63’). In the other game at the VYBK, Army Red continued their brilliant run and defeated Hyderabad 2-1. Liton Shil of Army Red scored a brace and was the star of the match. Koustav Dutta scored the only goal for Hyderabad FC. The first half was very eventful with both teams playing equally well. Shil broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute but Hyderabad’s Dutta did well to score the equaliser, just two minutes later. Army Red played a very attacking game in the second half and Shil did well to score the winning goal for the Reds, taking his team through to the quarter-finals.