JFC eager to light up the Furnace with winning start as they take on Assam Rifles at home in Durand Cup opener

KOLKATA: Jamshedpur FC are all set to begin their Durand Cup campaign against Assam Rifles FT at JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Sunday.
It will be the first time that the 133-year-old tournament will be held in Jamshedpur and the hosts, placed in Group D, will look to make the most of playing in front of home crowd.
Besides Jamshedpur FC and Assam Rifles, who came into the tournament following the withdrawal of Bangladesh Army FT, the group consists of Chennaiyin FC and Indian Army FT and the match between the two ISL teams next Sunday will surely be a mouth-watering affair.
For now though, Khalid Jamil’s focus will be on their opener and he will be more than eager to start off with a win this Sunday following another disappointing show last season.
The former Indian Super League Shield winners reached the last-four stage of the Super Cup but failed to deliver in ISL as they finished second last on the points table. They collected just 21 points from 22 games and lost as many as 11 games.
Speaking ahead of the game, Jamil said, “We’re on home turf, but that’s no excuse to take things lightly. We must approach this game with utmost seriousness and respect for our opponents. A good start is crucial, and every single player and staff member is focused and geared up for this match. We can’t afford to underestimate them — it’s time to put in the work and make our home advantage count.”
The team has been putting in the hours and began their preparation midway into July. Jamil has also made numerous signings after penning a 2-year contract extension with the club. This week itself they have announced the recruitment of Javi Hernandez and Stephen Eze among the foreigners and Aniket Jadhav, Shubham Sarangi and Ashutosh Mehta among the Indians.
Although Jamil has made it aptly clear that Assam Rifles are not to be taken lightly, it’s their second game against Chennaiyin that will test them to the fullest.
Like JFC, the Marina Machans have also bolstered their squad with a number of signings and will be looking to put it past the hosts. The match will also see Own Coyle making a comeback to the city where he holds a special positon in the hearts of the JFC fans after he guided them to their only Shield win three seasons back.
Meanwhile, a grand opening ceremony will be held at JRD Tata Sports Complex earlier in the afternoon. Besides cultural activities, the Indian Army has planned to hold fly pass by helicopters, sky diving by paratroopers from the Akash Ganga Team of Indian Air Force and a fixed wing aircraft fly pass.