New recruit Raynier Fernandes stole the limelight with a brilliant hat-trick on his competitive debut for Jamshedpur FC as the Red Miners kicked off their 2026-27 season in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 5-0 win over Sri Lankan side Defenders FC in their opening Group C match of Durand Cup at Birsa Munda Football Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday.Aman CK and Devendra Murgaonkar also scored one apiece in a dominant display. The home side outclassed the tournament debutants throughout the game, which also marked the Jharkhand capital’s debut as venue in the 135th edition of Asia’s oldest football tournament.The ISL side made a strong opening scoring within four minutes of start when Mohammed Sanan’s cross from left was headed into the back of the net by Fernandes. Four minutes later, the former Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City midfielder struck again to bring in his double. Following goalkeeper TS Priyashan’s partial clearance, Fernandes pounced on the loose ball and thundered home from outside the area to double the lead.With Fernandes setting the pace, Jamshedpur constantly probed the Sri Lankan side’s defence. Their pressure paid off again when Aman received a long pass and chipped it over the advancing goalkeeper to make it 3-0 in the 23rd minute.Six minutes from half-time the Men of Steel added a fourth through Murgaonkar. This time Aman turned provider with a low cross into the area and, following a fortunate deflection, the ball rolled into the goal going past a wrong-footed Priyashan.Enjoying a four-goal cushion at the break, Jamshedpur maintained control after the change of sides. While Defenders FC showed greater resilience in the second half with more possession, they failed to trouble the JFC backline.The final nail in the coffin was put in the 82nd minute when Fernandes reacted fast to a rebound following a save from Priyashan and slotted home to complete his hat-trick on debut in Jamshedpur shirt.Aman missed a golden chance in the dying minutes to make it half-a-dozen past the Defenders, but the 5-0 scoreline is enough to send a warning note to their other Group C rivals.JFC’s Ambapardiwala creates history as first Parsi coach in ISL: Jamshedpur FC head coach Kaizad Ambapardiwala created history when he led the Men of Steel in their opening game of the 135th Durand Cup, becoming the first head coach of Parsi descent to take charge of an ISL club in the country’s premier football tournament.Kaizad’s appointment marks a significant milestone not only in his coaching career but also for the Parsi community, which has played a pioneering role in the development of the country in several sectors. As head coach of JFC in Durand Cup, he is leading a squad comprising experienced senior Indian players alongside some of the club’s brightest academy graduates.With over a decade of coaching experience, Kaizad began his journey in 2012 before working with Liverpool Academy, DSK Shivajians and Bengaluru FC, where he guided the Reserves to the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) and Bengaluru League titles. Since joining JFC in Sept 2024, he has played a pivotal role in the club’s youth development, leading the U-17 team to the runners-up finish in AIFF U-17 Elite Youth League and Reserves to the semifinals of RFDL.Speaking about the opportunity, Kaizad said, “It is a privilege to lead Jamshedpur FC in a tournament as prestigious as the Durand Cup. If this appointment inspires more young coaches from diverse backgrounds to dream big and pursue coaching at the highest level, I will be proud. My complete focus, however, is on preparing the team well and representing Jamshedpur FC with pride.”Kaizad also becomes the fourth Indian coach to lead Jamshedpur FC in a major tournament, following Khalid Jamil, Noel Wilson and Steven Dias, all of whom previously guided the Men of Steel in Durand Cup. His appointment continues Jamshedpur FC’s tradition of entrusting Indian coaches with leading the team in one of the country’s most prestigious football competitions.Jamshedpur FC will next face Sporting Club Delhi on Aug 4 and Indian Air Force FT on Aug 13.Indian Army beat Samaleswari SC: Christopher Kamei’s stunner from a free-kick early in the second half was enough for Indian Army FT to beat debutants Samaleswari SC 1-0 in a Group B fixture at Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday.
