Kolkata, Aug. 24 -- When Indian Super League (ISL) clubs spoke of suspending salaries, they decided to call all their players for a regular pre-season. A little over one month later, NorthEast United emerged as winners of the 134th Durand Cup. It is not as if NEUFC are rolling in money, far from it. But they had a title to defend and decided not to go the way of many ISL clubs who skipped the competition. So, under Juan Pedro Benali, who has lifted them from the depths of despair, NEUFC started training for Asia's oldest tournament. It would not have been an easy decision, but with a 6-1 rout over newbies Diamond Harbour FC at Salt Lake stadium on Saturday, the team vindicated their owner's stand to get on with football. NEUFC had a hand on Asia's oldest tournament with goals from Asheer Akhtar (30th) and Parthib Gogoi (45+1). Thoi Singh's strike in the 50th doused hopes of a comeback and though Luka Majcen pulled one back in the 68th, it was drowned in the deluge that followed from Jairo Samperio (82), Andre Rodriguez (86) and Alaaeddine Ajaraie's penalty in 90+3. With eight goals in this edition taking his tally to 40 goals in 40 matches in India, Ajaraie won the golden ball and the golden boot, Gurmeet Singh got the golden glove showing how much NEUFC have taken a shine to this competition....