Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: The grand finale of the 70th Bordoloi Trophy Football Championship is set to take place on Thursday at Judges Field, where North East Frontier Railway Sports Association (NFRSA) will face off against NorthEast United FC (NEUFC). The highly anticipated match will be held under floodlights.
This will be the fifth occasions a railway team has reached the final of the Bordoloi Trophy. Of the previous four occasions, railway teams emerged victorious three times. The first victory came in the inaugural 1952 edition when Railway Sports Club, Pandu, lifted the trophy playing against Union Sporting Club, Nagaon. In 1958, Southern Railway Institute triumphed over Maharana AC, and in 1967, Eastern Railway defeated Ichapur Rifle Factory to claim the title. Eastern Railway also finished as runners-up in 1968, losing to East Bengal. Now, all eyes are on NFRSA, hoping they can continue the railway team’s strong tradition in the final and secure the championship.
NEUFC, making their debut in the final, will face a tough challenge from another debutant NFRSA. Both teams have been impressive throughout the tournament. NFRSA reached the final after securing a 3-1 victory over Global FC, while NEUFC advanced after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Shillong Lajong FC in the semi-finals. The final promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both sides displaying exceptional quality and resilience in the tournament.
NFRSA coach Sushanta Majumdar sounded optimistic about his team’s performance ahead of the final. Speaking to The Sentinel, Majumdar stated, “We’ve played good football throughout the tournament, and I’m confident my players will deliver a similar performance in the final. The team is fully charged and there is no injury or card-related concerns.”
On the opponent, Majumdar commented, “NEUFC is a strong side with an attacking approach, and their defense is also very good. It’s going to be a tough but exciting contest.”
Naushad Moosa, NEUFC Reserve Team Head Coach, is pleased with the team’s development throughout the season. He said, “So proud of this young team! They have been growing together throughout the season, improving with every tournament and every match. This is what development looks like, and we are definitely moving in the right direction.”
The team has no injury concerns, though there is a suspension for Shigil. Apart from that, the entire squad is available for the final.
Regarding their opponents, Moosa said, “Facing NFRSA will be a tough challenge. They have experienced players, and after watching their games, it’s clear they are strong both in attack and defense. We’ve faced them before in the Guwahati Premier League and came up short, but we’re prepared this time. It won’t be easy for us either.”
Meanwhile Assam’s Chief Minister, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, will attend the match as the Chief Guest, while the Sports and Youth Welfare Minister, Nandita Gorlosa, will be the Special Guest.
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