Upgraded 16 August 2025 at 12:49 IST
The very first match of the knockout phases in the Durand Cup 2025 sees Shillong Lajong handle Indian Navy Feet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Meghalaya.
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Shillong Lajong gamers ahead of a Durand Cup 2025 match.|Image: lajongfc/X
The group phase of the Durand Cup 2025, Indian football’s earliest competition, is now over and the knockout rounds, starting with the quarterfinals, gets underway with a succulent match-Shillong Lajong vs Indian Navy feet will happen in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Meghalaya on Saturday (August 16).
The start of the Durand Cup quarterfinals suggests there is now no location to conceal and no space for mistake – a loss implies removal, and the only method to raise the desired prize is to win all 3 video games.
And while numerous would see Shillong Lajong as the apparent favourites, it would be reckless to pass over Indian Navy feet right out of eviction.
How Indian Navy Feet Made it To Durand Cup Quarterfinals
The Army group handled to win their group and receive the knockouts, which is excellent when you think about that their group had 3 totally expert groups.
They were taken into Group F with NEROCA FC, TRAU FC and Real Kashmir FC and there was an expectation that they would be defending the wood spoon at finest.
The Navy side stunned everybody by not just certifying however by scoring more points than all of their more remarkable enemies and topping the group.
What’s more, they were unbeaten in the group phase as they won versus Kashmir and TRAU while drawing versus NEROCA.
Will Shillong Lajong Continue To Defy Odds?
The story was extremely various for Lajong, who handled to receive the quarters as one of the 2 groups who ended up second in their group, behind NorthEast United FC in Group E.
Lajong lost to the ISL side however handled big wins versus Rangdajied United FC and the Malaysian Armed Forces, which enhanced their objective distinction and assisted them certify with 6 points.
It is worth keeping in mind that they are a side with a history of punching well above their weight and this is something that can hold them in great stead going forward too.
Their status as underdogs will stay even if they make it to the semis, however it might well operate in their favour too.