24 teams have been whittled down to eight, as the 2023 Durand Cup concluded its group stage and heads to the knockout phase starting Thursday. There were plenty of unexpected results on show, as the competition only served to remind us of the diversity of Indian football, with the length and breadth of the nation represented as well as a myriad of ideas on the pitch.

Ultimately, Indian Army, NorthEast United FC, East Bengal, Gokulam Kerala, FC Goa, Chennaiyin FC, Mumbai City FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant made the quarterfinals, with plenty of surprising exits from the tournament.

Here’s how the group stage of the 2023 Durand Cup played out:

Group A

Even before the tournament began in earnest, it was accepted that the result of the Kolkata derby would decide this group. East Bengal – who had spent the build up to the derby getting trolled on social media for only managing a 2-2 draw against Bangladesh Army (whom Mohun Bagan had eviscerated 5-0 in their opening game) – had the last laugh, as Carles Cuadrat masterminded one of his trademark 1-0 victories, giving East Bengal their first win over the old enemy in eight attempts.

That Cuadrat has already managed to massage East Bengal into a compact, cohesive outfit bodes well for the club’s fortunes in the Indian Super League, and they deservedly finished top of the group after a 1-0 win over Punjab FC (who face a tall task trying to be competitive in the forthcoming ISL season as their performances were not inspiring).

As for Bagan, they’ve successfully negotiated reaching the knockout stages and the AFC Cup group stage despite a tight schedule while not appearing like the ISL champions they are, despite high-profile signings. If that doesn’t underline Juan Ferrando’s results-first approach ever since he took charge of the club, nothing else will.

Group B

Mumbai City FC came, won three games, scored 12, conceded one unlucky goal, and strolled into the quarterfinals. Des Buckingham’s juggernaut continues to roll on unopposed, despite fielding a fair number of youngsters. That their new signings have fit in like a glove is quite ominous for the rest of Indian football and even perhaps, their AFC Champions League opponents, who will be known on Thursday. Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr, anyone?

Jamshedpur FC’s reserve side and the Indian Navy did little other than make up the numbers, while Mohammedan SC came within one goal of dumping Mohun Bagan out of the competition (a 6-0 win over Jamshedpur, when they needed a 7-0 win). They ought to have another good season in India’s second tier, especially if 21-year-old David Lalhlansanga (an Aizawl product) continues his scoring form (6 goals in three games, including four against Jamshedpur).

Group C

Arguably the most competitive group of the Durand Cup, Gokulam Kerala FC will be glad to come out on top against Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters, despite defending champions BFC fielding a reserve team.

The I-League side were a treat to watch, as their defence was as porous as their attack was expansive. Gokulam will be cautiously optimistic of their fortunes in the knockouts, and even in the 2023-24 I-League season, where their defensive issues are unlikely to be punished as regularly.

The other side of the Kerala derby has plenty to ponder, as despite fielding a mix of first-team players and youngsters, the Blasters finished third in the group and never truly convinced. Perhaps if their head coach was more inclined to solve on-pitch issues than bringing up mistakes of referees in other leagues on social media, the club would be better off. If the evidence of this pre-season is anything to go by, the Manjapadda may be staring at a season with little to celebrate.

Meanwhile, it was disappointing to see defending champions Bengaluru FC treat this competition as a developmental exercise, especially after the positive fillip the trophy provided the club last season (How long would Simon Grayson have lasted during BFC’s bad spell last year had he not won the Durand Cup?). Yet, BFC’s youngsters proved the club made the right choice, with plenty of positive performances, including those of Salam Johnson Singh, who recaptured his form with TRAU in the I-League, only for injury to stop him in his tracks.

As for the Indian Air Force, a creditable draw against BFC was all the joy they had, with the other two teams beating them with ease.

Group D

Whisper it quietly, but NorthEast United might actually be good this season. The Mandar Tamhane revolution is well underway, and having filled the backroom staff with plenty of his former BFC colleagues, NEUFC might reap the benefits sooner than expected. A second-place finish and seven points saw them qualify for the quarterfinals, where a relatively easy draw could even have the team make the final of the competition. FC Goa were truly the test for the club and a 2-2 result that could have realistically been a win ought to be hugely promising for new coach Juan Pedro Benali.

As for Manolo Marquez’ FC Goa – who did top the group as expected – it was another Durand Cup where Muhammed Nemil and Devendra Murgaokar impressed, but with the Spaniard at the helm they may actually be allowed to build on their now-regular pre-season heroics. Noah Sadaoui appears to have added a lethality to his finishing this year, and if he continues in this vein, could have a huge impact in the ISL. Downtown Heroes (of J&K) and Shillong Lajong (returning to the I-League) were positive stories off the pitch, with the pair rarely offering much in the way of competition.

Group E

The most trouble for Chennaiyin FC in the group stage came off the pitch, with the club filing a ‘racism complaint’ on Owen Coyle’s behalf against Delhi FC owner, Ranjit Bajaj. As for the football, Rafa Crivellaro and Connor Shields have slotted into the creative vacuum left by Anirudh Thapa’s departure and Coyle already seems to have imprinted his combination of positive football and defensive calm so foreign to the club last year. Three wins, eight goals and only two conceded have raised hopes, and perhaps a run to the finals isn’t out of the question.

Hyderabad FC’s Aaren D’Silva-inspired 3-0 win over Tribhuvan Army papered massively over their cracks, with the club struggling to a draw against Delhi and comfortably second best against CFC. The club’s off-field issues (transfer ban, unusual coaching structure) seem to be reflecting on the pitch and this early Durand Cup exit does not bode well for their fortunes. Delhi were their combative selves but managed little else, while Tribhuvan Army’s strategy of employing players from club football did little to improve their chances.

Group F

Indian Army (Red) did the competition organizers proud, as they topped the group, with wins over Odisha FC and Bodoland sending them through. The latter win was perhaps the most exciting of the tournament as two goals in extra time saw them overturn a 0-1 deficit with Bodoland suffering heartbreak. One of the few regional teams in this tournament, Bodoland created a small piece of history with their 2-1 win over Odisha FC.

The ISL club were all in on the developmental aspect of the Durand Cup, and it showed, with their team’s only positive coming in a 2-1 win over Rajasthan United. The I-League side, meanwhile were quite the difficult watch, and might not be in the mix for anything positive this league season.

Players that caught the eye

Nandhakumar Sekar

Last season’s Durand Cup was the making of Lallianzuala Chhangte, and Nandhakumar Sekar might be hoping for a similar resurgence. Often criticized for his inconsistency, Nandha seems best suited for a Cuadrat side, who offer their creative/scoring players greater leeway in opting for the low-percentage, high-risk efforts and it worked beautifully in the Kolkata derby.

Yoell Van Nieff

Ahmed Jahouh’s departure has barely been noticed by Mumbai City, with Yoell Van Nieff slotting into the deep lying playmaker/centre-back hybrid role with ease. The Dutchman already seems in tune with the rest of his teammates and with an AFC Champions League campaign in store, has eased plenty of Des Buckingham’s concerns ahead of the season.

Mohammed Aimen

Arguably Kerala Blaster’s best spark in their short-lived campaign, Aimen produced plenty of breathtaking moments down the wings, as well as finding the net. It’s two years in a row that he’s caught the eye in the Durand Cup, and the Blasters faithful would love nothing more than him translating that into ISL appearances and goals.

Parthib Gogoi

Parthib scored 33% of his senior career goals in this Durand Cup, and after a full season with NEUFC last year, the 20-year-old Indian Arrows product will have aims at developing further. A huge part of the reason NEUFC appeared a much improved outfit, Parthib married lethal finishing to some creative moments and could potentially be staring at a breakout season.

Knockouts

Indian Army vs NorthEast United FC and East Bengal vs Gokulam Kerala

One would expect East Bengal to make it through from this quarter into the finals, but NEUFC and Gokulam Kerala have enough within them to produce a victory on the day. Yet, Cuadrat is a specialist in reducing randomness in football, and his side ought to make it through. Indian Army ought to bow out against NorthEast United, but with Parthib Gogoi departing for U-23 duty with India, they could spring a surprise.

FC Goa vs Chennaiyin FC and Mumbai City FC vs Mohun Bagan Super Giant

There is the delicious prospect of another Kolkata derby to decide the fate of the Durand Cup, but with the might of Mumbai City around, one cannot truly expect that fixture to occur. Des Buckingham vs Juan Ferrando is arguably the premier tie of the quarterfinal stage, with perhaps the winner of the tournament coming from that fixture. Goa and Chennaiyin will understandably bristle at that suggestion, and with Marquez and Coyle facing off with new clubs – there will be plenty of unknowns for either side. With the Durand Cup already presenting plenty of unexpected results, we could very well witness a first-time winner.