9 NFL teams for Durand Cup

The Durand Cup, India's premier soccer tournament, got off to a sedate start, with City Football Club, Delhi, getting the better of EME Centre, Secunderabad, 1-0, thanks to a self goal in extra-time, in the preliminary stage of the tournament, in Delhi, on Monday.

The golden goal for the Delhi outfit came in the very first minute of extra-time, when EME's stopper A Arjunan, attempting to clear a menacing header from a City F C player, shot into his own goal.

In the qualifying round, three Delhi teams and three teams from the Services will play in two groups. The winner of each group will move into the pre-quarterfinal league.

In today's encounter, where the lack of skill of both the inexperienced sides was exposed, neither could score in regulation time, forcing the match to be stretched to extra-time.

Defending champion Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are among the nine National Football League teams which will vie for top honours in the tournament from the quarter-final league stage.

Both Bagan and East Bengal will begin their campaign on February 8.

114th Durand Cup 2002 - the complete coverage
National Football League - the complete coverage