Durand Cup 2025: Namdhari Knock South United Out With Convincing Victory
Namdhari Sports Academy defeated South United FC 2-0 in the 134th edition of the Durand Cup, thanks to late goals from Bhupinder and Cledson Dasilva.
In an engaging contest between two debutant teams held at the lush green turf of Kishore Bharati Krirangan (KBK), two late second-half goals—scored by Bhupinder and Brazilian forward Cledson Dasilva—helped I-League outfit Namdhari Sports Academy register a winning start in Match 10 of the ongoing 134th Durand Cup, against Bengaluru-based South United FC (SUFC).
The result sees SUFC finish their maiden Durand campaign with a single point in Group A after completing all three of their fixtures. Namdhari, on the other hand, gain momentum and move forward with confidence in their pursuit of a spot in the knockout rounds.
How Namdhari Got the Better of South United
South United, donning their traditional orange kit for the first time, couldn’t quite turn around their fortunes but put up another determined display.
Head coach Kaja Bhadussa of SUFC opted to replace goalkeeper Nishanth with Sunil Singh, giving him a chance between the posts, as part of five changes from their previous draw against the Indian Air Force. Although Sunil justified the decision with a commendable performance, it ultimately wasn’t sufficient.
Namdhari, coached by Harpreet Singh and featuring two foreign recruits—Cledson in attack and Ghanaian defender Lamine Moro—were clearly the more experienced and disciplined unit, which eventually made the difference.
In the 10th minute, Aatma Singh had the first attempt at goal, forcing a smart save from Sunil, who tipped the ball over the bar. It was the first of several excellent saves from Sunil throughout the match. The game then opened up with end-to-end action as both teams headed into half-time goalless.
Harpreet made two substitutions at the break, bringing on Dharampreet in attack and Akashdeep in defence—clearly looking to make an impact. Dharampreet’s inclusion especially added energy to Namdhari’s forward play.
In the build-up to the opening goal, Lotjem’s shot in the 69th minute was stopped by Sunil, while Cledson missed two back-to-back chances—one of which was once again saved by the in-form keeper.
Bhupinder, who had been tirelessly running down the right wing, finally made his effort count. Driving into the box, he cut the ball back for Dharampreet, whose attempt was half-cleared by Rowan. But the ball landed straight back to Bhupinder, who struck powerfully at the near post, beating Sunil’s outstretched arms.
The goal boosted Namdhari’s confidence, and they intensified their pressure. Just six minutes later, Amandeep released Bhupinder again down the right. His cross was weakly cleared by Rowan, who otherwise had a solid outing. The ball fell to Cledson, who calmly slotted it home from close range.
With this result, both East Bengal FC and Namdhari now have three points each, with East Bengal ahead on goal count. The Indian Air Force team have one point with two matches remaining, while SUFC conclude their campaign.
