The Indian Army Football Team kicked off its campaign in the 135th Durand Cup with a well-deserved 1-0 victory over tournament debutants Samaleswari Sporting Club in a Group B encounter at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan today.
Defender P. Christopher Kamei emerged as the match-winner, curling home a superb free-kick in the 47th minute to hand the Army side all three points. While the margin of victory remained narrow, the Indian Army dominated the contest from start to finish, creating numerous scoring opportunities but repeatedly denied by an outstanding goalkeeping display from Aaryan Anjaneya and the woodwork.
Indian Army head coach L. Antony Ramesh fielded an experienced lineup featuring Bhabindra Malla Thakuri, Sunil Benchamin, P. Christopher Kamei, P.P. Shafeel and Samir Murmu. Samaleswari SC, making their maiden appearance in the prestigious tournament under coach Abdul Azim Siddique, relied on a squad bolstered by four foreign players, including Ivorian trio Gnohere Kirzo, Armand Bazie and Aubin Kouakou, along with Ghanaian defender Joseph Adjei.
The Army side settled into the game quickly and controlled possession from the opening whistle. Their attacking intent was evident early, with Saikhom Borish Singh and Abhishek Pawar testing the Samaleswari defence inside the opening ten minutes. However, goalkeeper Aaryan Anjaneya produced a series of fine saves to keep his side level.
Indian Army continued to dictate the tempo throughout the first half, using the width provided by wing-backs Sunil Benchamin and P.P. Shafeel to stretch the opposition. Shubham Rana and Borish Singh both came close to breaking the deadlock, while Samaleswari’s only significant first-half effort—a strike by Gnohere Kirzo—was ruled out for handball in the build-up.
The breakthrough arrived just two minutes into the second half. Substitute Abhi S. Biju won a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area after an impressive run down the right flank, and Kamei made no mistake, bending a precise left-footed effort over the wall and into the bottom corner to give Indian Army a deserved lead.
The goal further boosted the Army’s confidence as they launched wave after wave of attacks. Abhi S. Biju added pace and creativity after coming on, while Kamei nearly doubled his tally with a powerful long-range effort that rattled the crossbar. Samir Murmu, Liton Shil and Abhishek Pawar also came close, only to be denied by the crossbar, the post and an inspired Anjaneya, who emerged as Samaleswari’s standout performer with a string of outstanding saves.
Despite being under pressure for most of the match, Samaleswari nearly snatched an equaliser in the closing stages when Marat Tareck capitalised on a defensive error before setting up substitute Aman Gaikwad, whose header sailed over the crossbar.
Indian Army finished the match with 19 attempts on goal, including eight on target, underlining their dominance despite scoring only once. The disciplined defensive display and sustained attacking pressure ensured a winning start to their Durand Cup campaign, while Samaleswari SC earned praise for their resilience and spirited debut against one of the tournament’s strongest Services teams.
