Durand Cup 2023: Hyderabad, Bengaluru finish group stages with a win

Both teams failed to qualify for the Quarterfinals of the tournament which will begin on August 24th.

Players of Hyderabad FC and Tribhuvan Army FC from Nepal during their Durand Cup 2023 football match, at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, in Guwahati on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: ANI

Aaren D’Silva scored a hat-trick to help Hyderabad FC beat Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FC 3-0 and sign off with a win in its concluding group-E league of the 132nd Durand Cup at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati on Tuesday.

This was the club’s first win in this edition of the tournament, managing only a draw in the previous fixtures.

The Goan striker became the first Indian to score a hat trick for the club, in what was only the second perfect hat trick in the club’s history.

The Nizams finished its campaign with four points behind Chennaiyin FC, who topped the group with nine points.

🤩 Our #DurandCup2023 campaign ends with a W!@DsilvaAaren makes history as we finish second in Group E...#HFCTAFC#DurandCup2023#TheNawabs#మనహైదరాబాద్#HyderabadFC 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/AQvdv3SigO

— Hyderabad FC (@HydFCOfficial) August 22, 2023

In the second match of the day, defending champion Bengaluru FC made its exit from this year’s edition with a fluent 2-0 win over Gokulam Kerala FC in the final group-C league match at the Kishore Bharati Stadium in Kolkata.

The defeat ensured that Bengaluru was the only team to remain unbeaten in the group, finishing with a win and two draws in Group C.

Bengaluru finished on five points behind Gokulam Kerala FC, which qualified with six points.

The kids are alright, eh? 😉#WeAreBFC#BFCGKFC#ಸಂತೋಷಕ್ಕೆpic.twitter.com/MapARmhtXm

— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) August 22, 2023

The results:

Group E (Guwahati): Hyderabad FC 3 (Aaren D Silva 16, 24, 69) bt Tribhuvan Army FC 0.

Group C (Kolkata): Gokulam Kerala FC 0 lost to Bengaluru FC 2 (Robin Yadav 57, Lalpekhlua 89).