Adidas 'Golden Boot' for Durand Cup top scorer

New Delhi, Nov 26: highest goal scorer in the 119th Osian's Durand Cup football tournament will receive a 'Golden Boot' after tomorrow's final match between JCT, Phagwara and Dempo Sports Club, Goa at the Ambedkar Stadium here.

Adidas, who awards 'Golden Boot' to the highest goal scorer in the FIFA World Cup, has decided to present a similar award at the Durand Cup.

The boot, manufactured in Germany, was flown into India last week, a release said here.

With only goals scored from the quarter-final league stage counting towards the award, Sporting Clube de Goa's Macpherlin Dudu leads the list of contenders with three goals. Dempo's Anthony Pereira, with two goals, has an opportunity to extend that number in the final tomorrow.

Also with an outside chance are Dempo captain Roberto Silva (Beto) and JCT's Chidi Edeh with a tally of one goal apiece.

Dempo, on the other hand, have not had a great tournament so far till the semi-final against Mohun Bagan. But, the 2-0 verdict against the Kolkata giants would have done a world of good to their confidence before the final shot at the title. Beto produced a virtuoso performance against his former club, supplying to his forwards -- Ranty Martins and Anthony Perreira -- and then coming to the rescue of deep defence several times to deny Jose Barreto and Co.

Dempo have a dangerous striker in NFL top scorer Martins and the Nigerian formed a formidable strike partner with Perreira in the semi-final.

On the other hand, Chidi Edeh and Parveen Kumar have been the key to JCT's passage to the final so far despite the absence of mercurial Sunil Chhetri who is in the national sqaud preparing for Doha Asiad.

So, the outcome of the final would depend on the defence which can withstand an equally good attack. JCT have not conceded a single goal so far in the tournament despite the absence of Narinder Singh who is also with the national squad. Goan defence have also stood firm against Barreto-led Bagan in the semi-final.

A matter of concern for JCT was the fitness of some key players.

Having started the tournament from the pre-quarters has taken a toll on them. Chidi Edeh was limping for most part of the extra time in the semi-final and coach Sukhwinder said Parveen Kumar was not 100 per cent fit in their quarter-final match against Dempo.

Besides, their another key player Renedy Singh has just recovered from an injury and his use has been limited to second half substitutes in a couple of matches so far.

Though Sukhwinder was not revealing his cards, Renedy is most likely to play in the final even if for a few minutes.

Dempo scores on this point and having started from the quarter-finals they do not have major injury worries to their key players.

Although the sting has already been taken away after none of the Kolkata sides made it to the final for the second time in a row, spectators, who turned up in large numbers from the quarter-final stage onwards, could expect high quality football tomorrow.

UNI