127th Durand '14 curtain raiser in Goa on Sat
PTI, PANAJI | 09 October 2014 20:26 ISTThe draw for the Durand Cup will be decided on October 11 during a curtain raiser and draw of lots ceremony scheduled to be held in Bambolim Stadium here on Saturday.
The ceremony will be open to all citizens free of cost. Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha will be the chief guest of the event.
In addition to draw of lots and finalisation of pools, there will be entertainment programs including release of Durand song, Malkhamb, Kalaripayattu and Taekwondo displays besides a scintillating band performance.
Veteran footballers of the country will also be facilitated during the event, a press release said.
The Durand Cup being the oldest football tournament of Asia, and naturally of India, will this year again have, more than 20 top football teams of the country participating.
16 teams will battle in the qualifier stage of which three teams will qualify to the quarter final stage.
Nine teams have already been seeded in the quarter final stage based on Indian League Ranking. Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim, Sesa Football Academy, Tuff Laxmi Prasad Sports Club, Goa Velha Sports Club, Indian Air Force, Dalbir Football Academy, Sourthern Samity, Army Green, Garhwal Rifles, Corps of Signal, BEG Centre, All India Football Federation, Youngsters Club, Oil India Ltd, Vasco Sports Club (Goa), Army Red and Corps of Signals will play in the preliminary rounds of the tournament which are scheduled from 20-27 October 2014.
While Bengaluru FC, Air India, Salgaocar FC, Sporting Clube de Goa, Pune FC, United Sports Club, Churchill Brothers SC, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Indian Navy, Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2 and Qualifier 3 are seeded in the quarterfinal stage, will play from 29 October to 08 November 2014.