Dempo seeks maiden Durand Cup title, JCT keen to end 10-year droug

New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) Dempo Sports Club, Goa, will seek their maiden title while JCT, Phagwara, look to end their decade-long trophy drought as they lock horns in the summit meeting of the Osian's Durand Cup football tournament here tomorrow.

The 1968-founded Goan side were the 2004-05 NFL and Federation Cup champions and had attracted players of the calibre of Jose Ramirez Barreto and late Christiano Junior but had not reached the final of the third oldest football tournament in the world.

On the other hand, the Punjab side has not made it to the final of the tournament since 1996 when they beat Iraqi side Oil Club in the final. They have also won the trophy on five occasions and come out second best in another five tourneys.

In fact, JCT had been languishing for the last decade in the heirarchy of the country's top clubs. They won the first NFL in 1996-97 and since then they have not featured in the top three.

Their last Federation Cup win also dates back to 1996.

So, JCT coach Sukhwinder Singh would deseperately want to win the title this time in view of the Federation Cup coming up next month and NFL starting in January.

Dempo captain Roberto Silva (Beto), who emerged the player of the semi-final match against Mohun Bagan, said they would be comng out all guns blazing to secure the only top title they have not won so far.

On current form, the dice is evenly loaded. The two sides played out a safe draw without testing each other when they met in the quarter-final.

JCT, though, have been more consistent so far in the tournament.

They have beaten TFA and BSF with convincing margins in the pre-quarter finals and in the quarter finals they beat East Bengal 4-0 before getting the better of Sporting Clube de Goa in the semi-final yesterday.

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