Kerala Blasters blasts 1 goal deficit to emerge 1-2 wiiners in crucial away tie

Delhi Dynamos plays a dull draw against highlanders to be held 0-0 at home game

High Five for Chennaiyan FC as they pummels Mumbai City FC 5-1

Elano Blumer and John Stiven Mendoza inspired Chennaiyin FC to a thumping 5-1 win against fancied Mumbai City FC with a brace each at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai tonight. Jeje Lalpekhlua also got onto the score sheet for the hosts while Syed Rahim Nabi notched a consolation goal for the visitors late in the game by heading in a corner.
Chennai move to second on the table with nine points from their third win in four games while Mumbai remain in the sixth position with three points after succumbing to their third defeat.
Hero of the match and tournament top scorer with five goals, Elano opened the account with a penalty in the 9th minute and followed it up with a wonderful free kick in the 70th minute. In between, Jeje hit the target in the 26th minute after the Brazilian had lobbed the ball over the Mumbai defence. Mendoza, who tormented the Mumbai defence with his tricky runs, then netted two goals just before half-time.
The Colombian striker made the most of the opportunity after Mumbai goalkeeper Subrata Paul had clumsily parried an Elano free-kick. He scored his second of the evening when he latched onto a pass from the midfield and deftly whizzed past Paul to make it 4-0 at the break. The India goalkeeper however made a couple of good saves to keep down the margin of defeat.

Even though the away side had more possession and forced several corners, it was the home team who created more of the chances. The only notable chance for the visitors was when Nicolas Anelka, who made his debut in the tournament, put Subhash Singh through on goal but Shilton Paul got down well to stop the shot. Manager Marco Materazzi, who also made his first appearance for Chennai as a defensive midfielder, had a good outing before he was replaced by Bojan Djordjic in the second half.
Peter Reid will have a lot of thinking to do on the way back home with his team due to play Kerala Blasters in Navi Mumbai on November 5. On the other hand, Materazzi’s men are flying high and will face league leaders Atletico de Kolkata with confidence when they meet in the southern city on November 4.

22 member Indian squad for SAFF Women's Championship announced

22 Member squad for the SAFF Women’s Championship has been announced. The team is currently enjoying practice at Patiala, Punjab. The SAFF Women's Championship, into its third edition will be held at Pakistan this time around where eight nations: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka will compete against each other. India has won the the tournament twice(2010 and 2012) defeating Nepal on both the occasions.The 22 member team is as follows:
GOALKEEPERS: Okram Roshni Devi, Anjana Saikia
DEFENDERS: Ashem Romi Devi, Loitongbam Ashalata Devi, Suprava Samal, Gurumayum Radharani Devi, Sumitra Marandi, Thokchom Umapati Devi, Supriya Routray
MIDFIELDERS: Yumnam Kamala Devi, Yumlembam Premi Devi, Nameirakpam Montesori Chanu, Oinam Bembem Devi, Lako Phuti Bhutia, Moirangathem Mandakni Devi, Manpreet Kaur, Indumathi Kathiresan
 FORWARDS: Irom Prameshwori Devi, Ngangom Bala Devi, Gita Das, Jyoti Ann Burrett, Michel Margaret Castanha.        
The team will be later trimmed to 20 members

South Africa’s international goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa shot dead

Senzo Meyiwa in action for South African against Nigeria at Cape Town Stadium in September 2014. Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images

The captain of South Africa’s national soccer team was fatally shot when armed men broke into the house where he was staying, police said.

Goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was killed around 8pm Sunday after two gunmen entered a house in Vosloorus township near Johannesburg while an accomplice waited outside, the national police force said on its Twitter account. 

The three assailants then fled on foot, according to the police service, which offered a reward of nearly $14,000 for information leading to arrests in the case.

Police said there were seven people in the house during the attack, and that the shooting followed an “altercation”.

Authorities said they would do everything possible to find the killers.

South Africa has a high rate of violent crime, but it was not immediately clear whether the house where Meyiwa was staying was targeted by thieves or gunmen with another motive. Solomon Makgale, a South African police spokesman, declined to comment, referring Associated Press to updates on the police Twitter account.

Meyiwa’s South African soccer club Orlando Pirates said in a statement that it “has learned with sadness about the untimely death of our number one goalkeeper and current captain Senzo Meyiwa”.

“This is a sad loss whichever way you look at it to Senzo’s family, his extended family, Orlando Pirates and to the nation,” the Pirates chairman, Irvin Khoza, said.

Meyiwa, 27, was South Africa’s captain in its four qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations this year, including its last game, a 0-0 draw with Republic of Congo on 15 October. He played for Orlando Pirates on Saturday in a 4-1 win over Ajax Cape Town.

It was the second death to hit South African sports in three days, as former 800m world champion runner Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was killed in a car crash on Friday. At the time, the president, Jacob Zuma, said “the nation has lost a true hero.”

Early on Monday local time, the youth league of South Africa’s ruling party sent condolences to the families of Meyiwa and Mulaudzi, saying “their premature passing is indeed a great loss to the country and sporting nation”.

Meyiwa’s international team-mate Dean Furman, who plays for South Africa and Doncaster Rovers, tweeted: “Beyond devastated at the loss of our captain & friend Senzo Meyiwa. thoughts & prayers are with his family & friends at this terrible time.”

Darren Keet, a fellow South African goalkeeper who plays for Belgian club KV Kortrijk and the national side, offered his deepest condolences to Meyiwa’s family and friends. He wrote: “Deeply saddening to hear this news about our captain and friend”, adding that Meyiwa would be “missed, but never forgotten”. He said Meyiwa’s killing was sad for South Africa.

Kerala Blasters gets crucial away 1 point as they held Athletico de Kolkata to 1-1 draw

Kerala Blasters FC got their first point of the Hero Indian Super League after coming from behind to earn a hard-fought draw against league leaders Atlético de Kolkata. In a pulsating encounter at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, both sides would feel they could have taken all three points, with good chances at either end in the second half.The game got off to a lively start, as Kolkata took advantage of their raucous home support and put Kerala on the back foot. Their breakthrough came in the 22nd minute, when Jofre ran down the left wing and put a delightful low ball into the box. Borja Fernández scuffed the chance but managed to keep control and set up Baljit Sahni for a superb finish through two Kerala defenders and past David James to give his side the lead.
Kerala grew stronger after going behind, and their attacking approach finally paid off. Canadian striker Iain Hume, who was the Blasters’ standout performer throughout the match, displayed some excellent skill to control a difficult high ball, and then played a clever one-two with strike partner Milagres Gonsalves. The Goan’s exquisite flick beat the Kolkata defence, and Hume put in a composed finish past keeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury.
Going level into the halftime interval was a huge boost for Kerala, setting them up to push on in the second half. They started strongly, keeping hold of the ball and patiently looking for a way through the Kolkata defence. Kolkata were comfortable playing on the break, however, with their pace and physicality causing problems whenever they went forward. At times, their aggressive style caused frustrations to spill over, with a few hard tackles flying in as scorers Hume, Sahni, and Kolkata substitute Rakesh Masih were all yellow-carded in quick succession.
As the game reached its closing stages, the home side began to apply more pressure on the Kerala defence in the hope of nicking a late goal. They nearly found their winner, when Jofre again put in an excellent low ball across the face of goal, but Sahni could only hit the crossbar with his finish. Despite their efforts, however, the game ended level, giving Kerala a long-awaited point to get off the mark in the ISL.
Kolkata remain unbeaten, however, and will want to continue their fine form in their next outing against Chennaiyin FC on November 4. Kerala will be buoyed by a hard-earned point in an away fixture, and will now be looking to build some momentum. Their next game, a fourth successive away match, is against FC Pune City on October 30.

ISL announces ruling on incidents from FC Goa vs Atlético de Kolkata fixture

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) disciplinary committee has announced its ruling on incidents which took place during Match 10 of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) between FC Goa and Atlético de Kolkata on October 23. FC Goa marquee player Robert Pirès and Atlético de Kolkata striker Fikru Lemessa, manager Antonio López Habas, and goalkeeping coach Deshi Bhaktawer have all been fined and suspended from upcoming fixtures for their respective teams, pending appeal. All parties have the right to lodge an appeal within four days.

Details of the individual punishments are as follows:
1. Robert Pirès of FC Goa has been suspended for the next two matches of the ISL and fined ₹5,00,000 (Rupees five lakh) for breach of AIFF Disciplinary Code (Article 58) of Offensive Behaviour and Fair Play.
2. Fikru Lemessa of Atlético de Kolkata has been suspended for the next two matches of the ISL and fined ₹5,00,000 (Rupees five lakh) for breach of AIFF Disciplinary Code (Article 58) of Offensive Behaviour and Fair Play.
3. Antonio López Habas, manager of Atlético de Kolkata, has been suspended for the next four matches of the ISL and fined ₹5,00,000 (Rupees five lakh) for breach of AIFF Disciplinary Code (Article 58) of Offensive Behaviour and Fair Play for the second time. Habas was previously summoned and warned by the AIFF Disciplinary Committee under its Article 58, on October 18.
4. Predipkumar Bhaktawer, goalkeeping coach of Atlético de Kolkata, has been suspended for the next match of the ISL and fined ₹30,000 (Rupees thirty thousand) for breach of League Rule 22.2.

Delhi Dynamos "thok dia" 4 past happless Chennaiyan , wins by 4-1 margin

Delhi Dynamos FC scored their first win in the Hero Indian Super League by inflicting the first loss on Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium tonight. The hosts carved out a thumping 4-1 victory over the visitors thanks to superb strikes by Wim Raymaekers and Mads Junker early in the first half, a 79th minute penalty conversion by Bruno Arias and a fantastic solo effort by substitute Gustavo dos Santos in stoppage time.
Elano reduced the margin for the losers in the 69th minute to make it 2-1 by curling in one of his trademark free kicks past the gangling Delhi goalkeeper Kristof van Hout from about 25 metres out.
The win pushes Delhi up to fourth on the table with five points, one place behind the defeated side who had won their two earlier games.
The victors asserted their dominance on the game from the early stages and the two goal cushion with which they crossed over was totally deserved. In the second minute itself, Alessandro Del Piero essayed a short corner to ‘Mama’ who in turn passed it to Raymaekers. The tall Belgian centre back’s left footed long ranger screamed into the net beating Gennaro Bracigliano under the southern bar all ends up. He was later voted Hero of the match.
The second strike was even more spectacular, Junker hitting the target with a flying header following a pin point cross from the right flank by Steven Dias after a short corner. The Mumbai midfielder was handed his first start by Dutch manager Harm van Veldhoven.
Marco Materazzi threw in John Mendoza and Jayesh Rane following the change of ends in place of Bojan Djordjic and Balwant Singh respectively and the Colombian forward immediately made his presence felt by forcing a couple of saves from the lanky Belgian custodian van Hout. On the other hand the hosts had a few more opportunities to increase their lead, Mama once firing wide from a lovely Del Piero pass.
The match became tight for the hosts when Elano reduced the margin with his sizzling free kick but Arias made the issue safe after slotting the ball from the spot to the left hand corner out of the reach of a diving Bracigliano. Brazilian dos Santos provided the icing on the cake by cutting in from the left flank in a lovely solo run and beating the Chennai goalkeeper thanks to a deflection.

North East United wins crucial away game to stun Mumbai City FC 0-2

LOBO double sinks FC GOA on home Turf

Cavin Lobo scored a brace to help league leaders Atlético de Kolkata to a remarkable comeback win over FC Goa by the odd goal in three at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao here tonight. The home side went ahead in the 21^st minute courtesy an André Santos strike, but local lad Lobo brought heartbreak to his state mates with a late equaliser in the 72^nd minute and a superbly struck match winner in the 84^th minute to help the visitors maintain their unbeaten run.

Goa looked the sharper side in attack and possession in a contentious match and got their breakthrough soon enough. With Denzil Franco down with a knock, American referee Christopher Penso allowed play to go on and Santos buried the ball into the net with a ferocious left foot finish past Apoula Edel, the Cameroonian-born Armenian keeper who was picked ahead of Subhasish Roy Chowdhury today. This was the first time that the Kolkata side had fallen behind in the tournament.

The second half started cautiously for both teams, with no real chances coming up till after the hour mark. Goalkeeper Edel had a nervy period as Goa imposed themselves on the match and had several chances to increase the lead. But it was the visitors who got the goal at the other end.

Kolkata forward Fikru Teferra justified his manager’s decision to keep him on, despite a yellow card and a couple of incidents by playing in a wonderfully lobbed pass into the path of Lobo, who controlled and coolly finished past Jan Šeda. Lobo then produced a wonder strike when he picked up a loose clearance outside the box and thumped the ball in with his left foot past the hapless Czech keeper for the match winner. Goa piled on pressure late in the game, but no to avail and even seven minutes of injury time was not sufficient to avert the inevitable.  

Referee Penso had a tough match, having to dispense seven yellow cards in the game that also saw visiting goal-keeping coach Deshi Bakhtaver being ordered out. The Kolkata side now have 10 points from four games, four clear of Chennaiyin FC who have played two games less, while Goa slip down to sixth place with a mere point from three games

Brilliant Mendy strike helps Chennaiyin FC move to the 2nd position

• 

Chennaiyin FC today edged Kerala Blasters FC 2-1 in a thrilling encounter played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai.

Balwant Singh got a golden chance to score in the very 1st minute of the game. Capitalizing on a defensive lapse, Abhishek Das delivered a cross, which was nicely headed by diving Balwant Singh but failed to keep his brilliant effort in the target.

Gurwinder Singh of Kerala Blasters was extremely lucky not to be sent off in the 12th minute. After he was booked for a wild challenge on Bojan Djordjic in the 8th minute, he once again made a poor tackle 4 minutes later bringing down Abhishek Das inside the penalty box. Though referee immediately pointed to the spot, he showed leniency by not giving marching orders to Gurwinder.

Brazilian Elano Blumer placed his shot beautifully to the right hand bottom corner of the net, to give Chennaiyin FC the lead. A couple of minutes later, C. S. Sabeeth's header from an inviting cross off Nirmal Chettri went wide of the post. Sabeeth, however, was extremely unlucky in the 25th minute, when his left-footed strike ricocheted off the post.

After Abhishek Das made a couple of mistakes, which could have been very costly for the Chennaiyin FC goal, their coach immediately replaced him with Dhanachandra Singh. Minutes later, Marquee Player of Kerala Blasters, Goalkeeper David James made a brilliant save to prevent Valencia's shot from going in.

Iain Hume restored parity in the 50th minute. Nirmal Chettri's header from Victor Herrero Forcada's corner hit Denson Devadas near the goal line, but alert Hume smacked the ball in the net.

Bernard Mendy scored the winning goal in the 63rd minute. It was a stunning overhead goal scored by the French defender of Chennaiyin FC. Harmanjot Khabra headed Elano’s free kick with the ball ballooning up in the air and going towards Mendy, whose brilliantly executed back volley crashed into the net leaving David James stranded in the goal line.

Kerala Blasters got a chance to equalize in the 66th minute when they got an indirect free kick inside the penalty box after Chennaiyin goalkeeper gathered a back pass of his own defender. However, Stephen Pearson's powerful shot from the indirect free kick got blocked by a defender.

The visitors went all out for the equalizer as they got few chances to score, but Andrew Barisic's shot and C. S. Sabeeth's header once again went wide. With this win, Chennaiyin FC moved to the 2nd position, while Kerala Blasters remained at the bottom of the points table.

The individual award winners of today's game were as follows:

Swift Moment of the match - Bernard Mendy.
Amul Fittest player of the match - Iain Hume.
ISL Emerging player of the match - Balwant Singh.
Hero of the match - Bernard Mendy

Myanmar Football Federation fined USD24,000 for Yangon crowd invasion

		Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Disciplinary Committee has fined the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) a total of USD24,000 as a result of a pitch invasion by spectators after the AFC U-19 Championship quarter-final match on 17 October, between Myanmar and United Arab Emirates at the Youth Training Centre, Yangon, Myanmar. The AFC Disciplinary Committee has found the MFF accountable for several violations of the AFC Disciplinary Code and the AFC U-19 Championship 2014 Regulations, including failure to guarantee law and order as well as safety at the venue, improper conduct by spectators and repeated infringements of the Code. The AFC Disciplinary Committee has also ordered MFF to play their next representative team match without spectators, with the order being suspended for a probationary period of two years. The MFF has been strongly advised by the AFC Disciplinary Committee to take all action necessary to control their spectators in future matches, including the Semi Final match on 20 October 2014. The MFFwas also warned that any further crowd misconduct by their supporters will lead to the automatic revocation of the suspended sanction of playing a match without spectators, and the sanction shall be applied and shall be in addition to a more severe sanction pronounced for the new infringement. In effect, should Myanmar qualify for the Final, the match will be played without spectators should further crowd misconduct occur in the Semi Final

Mizoram: Footballer dies while celebrating goal

A young footballer lost his life over the weekend after injuring his spinal cord while celebrating a goal he had scored, according to newspaper reports.
Peter Biaksangzuala, 23, fell backwards on his head as he took a series of somersaults after scoring the equaliser for his team in a local match in Khawzawl town close to the eastern border with Myanmar last Tuesday, the Times of India said.
As he lay on the ground in pain, unsuspecting team-mates jumped on him to celebrate before they realised the extent of the injury and summoned a stretcher to rush him to hospital.
Biaksangzuala died on Sunday after his condition deteriorated in hospital as doctors attempted to repair his damaged spine, the newspaper quoted hospital staff as saying.
Lal Hmar, a football official in Mizoram state, told reporters in capital Aizawl that the young footballer had donated his eyes before his death.
“Peter was a very talented player who dreamt of playing in the national league,” Hmar said. “His death has come as a big shock to all of us. We all thought he will recover.”
Hmar said the local association was planning to hold a charity match in Biaksangzuala’s memory.
Footballers are known to injure themselves while celebrating a goal, but there is no recorded instance of it causing a death

Delhi Dynamos FC hold Atlético de Kolkata to 1-1 draw

Delhi Dynamos FC ended the winning run of Atlético de Kolkata by holding them to a 1-1 draw at the Salt Lake Stadium here this evening. The Kolkata defence was finally breached after more than 250 minutes of football when Pavel Eliáš’ fantastic 73rd minute strike levelled the scores for Delhi Dynamos after the home side took a 48th minute lead through Jofre's penalty.
Atlético de Kolkata looked a little jaded in their third game in seven days while the visitors looked in the mood to take the game to their fancied rivals. Delhi’s marquee forward Alessandro Del Piero picked up a booking in only the 4th minute for simulation when a penalty looked very likely. Wim Raymaekers continued his good run from the previous game as he thwarted the Kolkata attack time and again. The closest Kolkata came to a goal was when Hans Mulder's back pass found its way to Ethiopian striker Fikru Teferra who got his shot in, only to be denied by Delhi goalkeeper Kristof Van Hout. At the other end, a brilliant long range effort from ‘Mama’ on 32 minutes saw the ball hit the cross bar with Kolkata custodian Subhasish Roy Chowdhury beaten all ends up.
Kolkata’s talismanic player Luis García was withdrawn at half time with a hamstring injury. But it was the home side who went on the attack and won the first penalty of the tournament after Fikru was brought down in the danger area by Raymaekers. Jofre stepped up to take it and sent Van Hout the wrong way with a perfect placement to the bottom right corner.
Against the run of play, a moment of brilliance by Eliáš’ saw the scores level. A poor clearance by the home defence saw the ball fall kindly for the Czech player who fired a shot past Chowdhury into the far top corner. It was an absolute peach of a goal.
Rakesh Masih, who came on for García, picked up a second booking for a tackle from behind on Del Piero in the 88th minute to give Kolkata their second sending off in two games. Delhi were unable to take advantage in the dying minutes as the game ended all square.
Despite splitting points, Kolkata are however, still on top of the table with 7 points and will want to get back to winning ways against FC Goa away on October 23. Delhi Dynamos, who picked up their second point, will want to win their next game against Chennaiyin FC at home on October 25 to keep pace with the leaders.

Mumbai City FC bounce back with thumping 5-0 win over FC Pune City

Mumbai City FC put the ghosts of their opening-day defeat to bed with a 5-0 win in the ‘Maharashtra derby’ against FC Pune City in the sixth match of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). André Moritz was the star as he bagged the first hat-trick in ISL history with goals in the 12th, 27th and 71st minute. Subhash Singh and Johan Letzelter were the other scorers.
The match started as a typical derby, with feisty tackles from both sides. Mumbai's Peter Costa and Pune’s Lenny Rodrigues both received yellow cards in the first five minutes. The home side began to stamp their authority on the game and a swift counterattack saw them take the lead. Brazilian midfielder André Moritz collected the ball on the right, cut in and hit a beautiful curler into the far corner.
Pune’s marquee player David Trezeguet saw a superb overhead kick hit the crossbar with Mumbai keeper Subrata Paul beaten, but Mumbai continued to pile on the pressure. They doubled their lead soon after, through Moritz’ second goal, a neat volleyed flick from a corner.
Pune were on the back foot and Subhash Singh took advantage, firing in a cross for Lalrindika Ralte, but Belardi pulled off an incredible save to deny him. Subhash would not be denied, picking up a pass in the middle of the park and racing past the defence before smashing past a hapless Belardi. He could have had another, shooting wide from a one-on-one with the keeper.
The visitors came out in the second half searching for a goal, but the unrelenting Mumbai side did not let Pune off the hook, pressing their opponents incessantly. They got a fourth goal, with Moritz striking a smart near-post finish to bag the first hat-trick of the tournament. There was further delight for the Mumbai fans, as marquee player Freddie Ljungberg came on for his first ISL appearance. The Swedish star was soon involved in the action, setting off a sweeping move which ended with Letzelter getting Mumbai’s fifth with a thumping finish.
Peter Reid will no doubt be delighted with his team’s five-star performance in bouncing back from the opening day defeat to Kolkata and will look to continue this fine form as they host North East United FC on October 24. Franco Colomba, on the other hand, has a lot to ponder ahead of FC Pune City’s next match, their home opener against FC Goa on October 26

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Chennaiyin FC beat FC Goa to become ISL's first away winners

Elano Blumer is on top of the world after scoring Chennaiyin FC's second goal.

In a day of firsts, fans at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa were treated to a pulsating Hero Indian Super League encounter. Balwant Singh became the first Indian goalscorer, with teammate Elano joining him on the score sheet as the first marquee player to notch a goal – also the first successful direct free kick – as Chennaiyin FC racked up the first away win with a 2-1 victory over FC Goa.

Goa made a lively start to the game in front of a raucous home crowd. Edgar Marcelino was at the heart of Goa’s attacks, with the Portuguese showcasing some incisive passing. Marquee player Robert Pirès was also involved, showing few signs of rust.

The Chennaiyin defence soaked up the pressure well, however, and they went ahead at the half-hour mark. Marquee player Elano latched onto a poor clearance and made his way into the box, and striker Balwant Singh was on hand to fire the ball home and etch his name in the history books with a 32^nd minute strike.

They soon doubled their lead, with Elano scoring a highlight-worthy goal. A foul on the edge of the box ten minutes later gave him the chance to whip in a trademark free kick, and he duly obliged, scoring a beautiful, curling strike to give his side a 2-0 lead to take into half-time.

Manager Zico’s words would have been ringing in the Goa players’ ears as they came out for the second half with renewed purpose. As in the first half, however, the Chennai defence withstood Goa’s initial attacks. Goa eventually clawed their way back in the game, and it was two defenders who combined to get Goa on the score sheet. Youness Bengelloun’s knockdown from an over-hit cross was a perfect cut-back for fellow central defender Grégory Arnolin to tap in from close range.

Goa pushed on in search of an equalizer, with local hero Clifford Miranda, on as a substitute, nearly scoring a stunning goal straight from a corner kick, before Chennaiyin keeper Emiliano Bracigliano pulled off a fantastic save to deny Ranti Martins. For all Goa’s effort, however, the resolute Chennai defence made sure their ISL campaign began with a win

Pune City hold Delhi Dynamos to goalless draw

Hosts Delhi Dynamos FC were held to a goalless draw by FC Pune City in the third game of the Hero Indian Super League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium tonight. This is the first match in the competition to end in a draw. Both teams failed to live up to the pre-match hype and settled for a point each.

Although Delhi Dynamos were the better side and enjoyed greater possession and chances, Pune City goalkeeper Emanuele Belardi kept them at bay with some fine saves. Even the introduction of the peerless Alessandro Del Piero failed to break the deadlock in favour of the hosts though the Italian legend sparkled in bits and pieces after he came on in the 37th minute.

The match started off cautiously, with either teams trying to get a measure of their opponent. As time progressed, the game started getting into a good rhythm, with Pune City’s French forward David Trezeguet and Delhi Dynamos’ Mads Junker testing the goalkeepers early on. With the Delhi attackers combining better than their counterparts early on, Francis Fernandes found himself in the thick of things a couple of times, most significantly when he scuffed a cut back into his path by Mads Junker. Hans Mulder had a go from distance after being played in by Del Piero, but his effort went just wide of Pune keeper Belardi.

Belardi was tested in the second half again, and came off his line to deny Junker once more. Pune were pinned in their half most of the time, with the Delhi centre backs playing high up the pitch, and were almost made to pay on the counter, when Lenny Rodrigues sent in a searching low cross for substitute Dudu Omagbemi, but the Dynamos’ defenders tracked back just in time to avert the danger.

As time wore on, the game started getting stretched, as players started showing signs of fatigue. Delhi introduced Brazilian Gustavo Marmentini dos Santos to take advantage of the situation, and minutes later justified his substitution, almost giving Delhi the lead when he hit the far post. The match petered away towards the end even as Del Piero picked up the Amul Hero of the match award for providing his team the spark needed to almost secure victory.

The Dynamos travel to Kolkata next on October 19 to take on current leaders Atlético de Kolkata, while FC Pune City take on state rivals Mumbai City FC on October 18 in Mumbai, both teams searching for their first win in the competition.

Goals could flow as Delhi Dynamos host Pune City in capital

After Kolkata and Guwahati, it is Delhi’s turn to welcome the Hero Indian Super League. An exciting fixture is on the cards, as both Delhi Dynamos FC and FC Pune City have displayed an attacking brand of football during their preseason campaigns. Delhi scored a remarkable 19 goals in three games, while Pune were only slightly less prolific with 14 goals in four matches. There is a chance though that this will be a cagier affair, with both teams also boasting strong defences, and keen to not begin on a losing note. But fans will be hoping to see some goals, and marquee players Alessandro Del Piero (Delhi) and David Trezeguet (Pune) besides others, are capable of making a decisive impact on the game.

Mads Junker vs Bruno Cirillo

Thirty-three-year-old Danish striker Mads Junker has immediately found his scoring touch in India. With Del Piero pulling the playmaking strings behind him, Junker can expect to get plenty of chances to hit the target. Tasked with stopping him will be veteran Italian defender Bruno Cirillo, who is one of the key figures in the visiting team. The gangling centre back is a commanding presence and will be difficult to pass. He will, however, have to summon all of his experience to prevent Junker, Morten Skoubo or Manandeep Singh from breaching his citadel.

Wim Raymaekers vs David Trezeguet

Wim Raymaekers has been a key member of the Dynamos’ defence that boasts a perfect record in preseason, not conceding a single goal. But he will have his hands full trying to contain legendary Juventus and France striker Trezeguet, who has a prolific scoring record over the years. Pune City are blessed with an abundance of striking options but Trezeguet is obviously the leading light. The duel between the Frenchman and Belgian will go a long way in determining the outcome of the match.

Alessandro Del Piero vs Mehrajuddin Wadoo

Del Piero has thrilled crowds the world over with his amazing play in a roving position just behind the strikers, the trequartista role, and will keep the Pune defence on their toes, as he is capable of changing the game with a single flash of brilliance. The Pune team will look to Kashmiri defensive midfielder Mehrajuddin Wadoo to keep a check on the charismatic Italian playmaker. His ability to keep Del Piero quiet will be crucial to Pune’s chances of success.

Players to watch

Delhi Dynamos FC:

Kristof van Hout – If the 27-year-old gets the nod to start in goal, all eyes will be on him. Indeed, at 6’10”, Van Hout will literally stand out. His height and wingspan are definite advantages for a keeper. The lanky Belgian will be looking to prove he is up to the task of keeping Trezeguet & Co at bay.

FC Pune City:

Konstantinos Katsouranis – “Kostas” Katsouranis, as the experienced Greek midfielder is known, is making his first foray outside Europe. He is a legend of Greek football for his star turns in the national team’s sensational triumph at the 2004 UEFA Euro championship and the qualifying phase for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which resulted in Greece’s first-ever appearance at the global footballing showpiece. Kostas featured in the 2014 World Cup as well and his mix of combative defending and incisive attacking from a deep-lying midfield role is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Koke strike powers NorthEast United FC to victory

Sergio Contreras Pardo, otherwise known as Koke, scored the only goal of the match in first half stoppage time to power NorthEast United FC to a solitary goal win over Kerala Blasters FC in a tightly contested second game of the Hero Indian Super League at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here tonight.

The Spanish midfielder took advantage of a poor clearance by the Kerala defenders, rushing onto the ball and putting it past former England goalkeeper David James in the far left corner with a sweetly timed half-volleyed effort. This is the third goal in the tournament scored by a Spanish player.

Kerala Blasters came out with intent as they looked to take control of the match at the start. Joan Capdevila gave away a free kick as early as the first minute. The men in yellow pushed forward positively and had the lion's share of the possession. Kerala even had the ball in the back of the net in the 16th minute, but Iain Hume was denied by the offside flag.

NorthEast United FC’s former Greece international goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas stood as firm as a rock in front of his goal and refused to be beaten. He was deservingly voted ‘Hero of the match’. He did commit a mistake with a scuffed goal kick and was also lucky that a low shot by substitute Michael Chopra was saved by his defender on the goal line.

The match didn’t see too much happening in the first half, apart from a few tame attempts from both sides. Durga Boro got everyone out of their seats with an incredible long range effort, only to be denied by James with a fantastic save.  

Boro was replaced in the 62nd minute by Milan Singh, seemingly with a niggle, and minutes later Kerala made two substitutions in quick succession to hopefully force something out of the game. The conditions took its toll on the players towards the final quarter of the game, with players calling halts and cramping up.

The home side were content to sit back and play on the counter through Korean substitute Do Dong-Hyun could have put the game to bed but skied a shot from a few yards out with an open goal in front of him. Kerala left-back Jamie McAllister was the only played booked by referee Pratap Singh.

NorthEast United FC host Atletico de Kolkata at home on October 16 while Kerala Blasters FC hope to revive their campaign when they take on Chennaiyin FC in the Tamil Nadu capital on October 21.

Atlético de Kolkata record comfortable 3-0 victory over Mumbai City FC in ISL opener

Atlético de Kolkata started off their campaign in the Hero Indian Super League with a bang by trouncing Mumbai City FC by a 3-0 margin at the Salt Lake Stadium here tonight. Ethiopian striker Fikru Teferra Lemessa (27’), Borja Fernández (69’) and substitute Arnal Llibert in stoppage time got onto the scoresheet for the winners.
The contest got off to a heated start with tackles coming in hard and fast, Mumbai City FC skipper Syed Rahim Nabi being booked for a malicious tackle on Biswajit Saha in the 2nd minute. The match continued in the same vein for Mumbai’s nervous defence, with keeper Subrata Paul being called on a couple of occasions to deny the home side the chance to be the first team on the score-sheet.But Mumbai couldn’t keep Kolkata out for long, as Fikru Teferra Lemessa latched on to a well-timed through-ball, just minutes after receiving a yellow-card from referee Christopher Penso, and cheekily chipped it over the onrushing Subrata Paul from outside the box, to go down in the history books as the first goal-scorer in the ISL.
Experienced Spanish midfielder Fernandez then doubled the lead for the hosts with a stunning goal, latching onto a poor clearance from the Mumbai defence and thumping the ball into the far corner past the hapless Paul. Arnal Llibert Conde Carbó, who came in as a late replacement for skipper Luis Garcia, then put the icing on the cake for the hosts by being in the right place at the right time in stoppage time to round off the scoring.

All in all, a comfortable victory for the hosts before they travel to Guwahati to face NorthEast United FC on October 16, and a lot to ponder for Peter Reid on the way back home, when Mumbai host FC Pune City on October 18.

ISL to kick off with a cracker of an opener

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The much-awaited Hero Indian Super League is all set to kick off, with a tantalising opening fixture to be played in India’s biggest football stadium. Atlético de Kolkata will have a slight edge in the form of home advantage, and they will hope to treat a boisterous Kolkata crowd to a win in their opener. They are arguably the best-prepared side in the competition, having spent a month training in Spain and thus getting an extended time together to gel as a team. Their opponents, Mumbai City FC, are regarded as one of the strongest sides in the ISL. They have a star-studded lineup with veteran and high-profile foreign players, along with some of the most recognisable names from the Indian circuit. Some have gone as far as to say they are the “team to beat” in this year’s edition.

Lalrindika Ralte vs Atlético de Kolkata defense

The young Mumbai City FC attacker is one of the rising stars of Indian football. He keeps defenders on their toes with his mazy running, and has a penchant for scoring stunning long-range goals, as evidenced by his recent strike against ONGC in a preseason friendly. The Atlético de Kolkata defence, likely to feature veteran Spanish fullback Josemi, and Arnab Mondal and Sylvain Monsoreau in the heart of the defence, will have their hands full trying to restrain the young Mizo playmaker. Expect defensive midfielder Borja Fernández to try and curtail Ralte’s influence.

Fikru Lemessa and the Atlético de Kolkata strikeforce vs Subrata Paul

Subrata Paul has long been a stalwart between the goalposts for the Indian national team. But with Fikru Lemessa leading Kolkata line with able support from either Arnal Llibert, Mohammed Rafi or Baljit Sahni, the India No 1 is likely to be frequently called into action. Experienced German defender Manuel Friedrich, Pavel Cmvos and company will no doubt try and help Paul to keep his citadel intact.

Luis García vs Mumbai City FC fullbacks

It remains to be seen whether Luis García will figure in his traditional winger role or play more centrally, but the local marquee player will certainly look to get at Deepak Mandal and Syed Rahim Nabi regardless of his starting position. Not only will Garcia orchestrate all Kolkata attacks, but his inventiveness will also restrain Mumbai’s adventurous full backs from foraging forward.

Player to watch

Atlético de Kolkata:

Borja Fernández – The 33-year-old Spanish defensive midfielder and ex-alumnus of Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruña and other Spanish clubs, will be a key presence in the Kolkata midfield, shielding the back four while also serving as an extra playmaker when necessary.

Mumbai City FC:

Diego Nadaya – The Argentine striker will be looking to hit the global headlines in this keenly-watched tournament, after promising spells with various clubs in his home country.

Manager speak: 

Antonio López Habas (Atlético de Kolkata):

"Despite having a lot of Spanish players in the side, we will have our own style of football.”

Peter Reid (Mumbai City FC):

“We have also prepared well and the players are pretty pumped up to perform. We expect a good game tomorrow."

Rival managers hopeful of positive results

Mumbai City FC skipper Syed Rahim Nabi and manager Peter Reid.

Antonio López Habas feels that Atlético de Kolkata will be firm favourites in their inaugural Hero Indian Super League clash against Mumbai City FC at the Salt Lake Stadium tomorrow in spite of the fact that the away side also boasts of a fair complement of local talents.

The Spanish gaffer also insisted that he is looking at three points from the game and will not trot out any excuse due to the adverse conditions that his foreign contingent are likely to endure. He also added that the absence of Nicolas Anelka and Freddie Ljungberg in the rival line-up tomorrow will be of no consequence to him as his focus is on his game plan only and not on that of his opponents.

He also revealed that Rakesh Masih is down with a stomach bug, which makes him uncertain for the tie. “Other than that, the rest of the team is available and we are going to produce a good match tomorrow,” he declared.

Habas dispelled the impression that Atlético de Kolkata would ape the Spanish style of play, given the number of Spanish players and support staff in the squad. “We want to play in the ‘fatafati’ style, I want Kolkata to play our own style of football,” he said. 

Atlético de Kolkata captain Borja Fernández stated that he was pretty impressed with the whole way this tournament is shaping up. “The huge population of India and their love for football is going to make this tournament pretty popular in the coming days,” he felt.

Mumbai City FC manager Peter Reid revealed that he will not field his marquee player Freddie Ljungberg tomorrow and risk his future in the tournament. “He has had a couple of training sessions in the gym but he still feels the strain in his calf. If we take a chance on this sort of surface and his injury gets worse, it could be a problem for us in the future. So I’m going to leave him out,” Reid said.

The former England and Manchester City manager also paid tribute to his two celebrated Indian recruits, Subrata Paul and skipper Syed Rahim Nabi. “This guy’s a terrific character and I know wherever I ask him to play, he’ll do a great job,” he said about the latter. About the India No 1 goalkeeper, Reid observed, “He’s a fantastic goalkeeper but I hope he won’t prove it tomorrow as we are going to be attacking. But you never know!”

Atlético de Kolkata manager Antonio López Habas and captain Borja Fernandez at the press conference.

Expressing full confidence that his team of experienced foreign players will do a good job on the pitch, Reid said, “I think these players’ experience will help us out there and all I have to say is that I have every confidence that these lads will do a really good job. It’s going to be hot, and we’re away from home, but we’re all in a good frame of mind and we’re all looking forward to it.”

Local hero and Mumbai City skipper Syed Rahim Nabi felt that the loyalties of the fans at the stadium would be divided because of the presence of several local players in their line-up though he conceded that fans would also support the home team. Nabi however felt that Atlético de Kolkata would generate a lot of support not only because it is the home team but also because of the fact that Sourav Ganguly is the co-owner and this support could make a difference.

Sikkim Gold Cup Draw Sheet

Chennaiyin FC announce MS Dhoni as co-owner

Chennaiyin FC is delighted to announce India cricket team captain and football fanatic Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its co-owner. Dhoni has been an inspiration for millions of Indians for his successful exploits in the field of cricket and he is also a heartthrob of the city of Chennai, having led Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings to several honours with the latest being the 2014 Champions League T20 tournament.

Now Dhoni, who we all know has a passion for football and bikes other than cricket, will be part of a revolution in Indian football and help launch a new era for the beautiful game in Chennai by being the co-owner of Chennaiyin FC in the Hero Indian Super League.

Chennaiyin FC co-owners MS Dhoni and Mrs Vita Dani

The announcement was made by Chennaiyin FC co-owner Mrs Vita Dani, who said, “It is an absolute honour to have the legendary MS Dhoni as one of the co-owners of our franchise, Chennaiyin FC. Mahi has a strong association with the people of Chennai and so with him coming on board, we take another giant step towards achieving the goal of creating a world class football club in Chennai. Vanakkam Mahi!”

Expressing his excitement on becoming a co-owner of Chennayin FC, Dhoni stated, “I used to be a goalkeeper in school and always enjoy playing and watching the game. I wanted to be associated with football so when the opportunity came to be a part of Chennaiyin FC, I was ecstatic as this gives me a chance to connect with the city of Chennai again. I have played franchise cricket for this city so I know how supportive they are.”

Dhoni added, “I am sure all the players of Chennaiyin FC will see how much love Chennai gives to their players. The Hero Indian Super League is a fantastic platform for football to grow with so many big names, IMG-Reliance and Star India associated with it. I look forward to an exciting season ahead but at the same time it’s important that we develop the grassroots level and produce more football stars in India.”

Chennaiyin FC starts their Hero Indian Super League campaign with an away game against FC Goa on October 15 while their first home fixture is against Kerala Blasters on October 21.

ISL Updates:tickets and fixture updates

Six of the eight Hero Indian Super League teams have begun sale of tickets online, some for their first few fixtures. Atlético de Kolkata and FC Pune City have however made tickets available for all seven home matches. FC Goa and Kerala Blasters FC are yet to release their ticketing details. Games will be played in eight cities over the next three months starting from October 12 to December 20, 2014. Venues for the semi-finals and final are yet to be announced.

The ticketing details for the six teams are as follows:

Atlético de Kolkata 

Atlético de Kolkata have announced the sale of tickets for all their seven home matches at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Tickets are available online at at atleticodekolkata.ticketgenie.in. 

Ticket categories: Rs 200, Rs 300, Rs 400, Rs 500, Rs 750, Rs 2, 000 (for the opening match) and Rs 1,250 (for the remaining six matches), Rs.2,500 (hospitality tickets).   

There is also the option of purchasing a season ticket where a fan needs to pay for six matches and can attend the seventh one for free. The booking of the season ticket has to be done in one particular category and in one lot of seven tickets but the charge will only be for six matches. There are also some discount offers for institutional and corporate bookings and offline sales through retail outlets will start shortly.

 Ticket Helpline Numbers: 8697045013, 8697045107, 080-49125900

Courier Helpline: 8697045236, E-Ticket: 8697045427, Bulk Booking: 8697045387

Chennaiyin FC 

Tickets for the first two home matches versus Kerala Blasters FC (Oct 21) and Mumbai City FC (Oct 28) respectively at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai are available online at

http://in.bookmyshow.com/sport/indian-super-league/chennaiyin-fc/

Ticket categories: Rs 100, Rs 150, Rs 200, Rs 350, Rs 5,000 (hospitality tickets)

Delhi Dynamos FC 

Tickets for Delhi Dynamos FC opening game against FC Pune City (Oct 14) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi are available at

http://in.bookmyshow.com/sport/indian-super-league/delhi-dynamos-fc/

Ticket categories: Rs 200, Rs 500, Rs 950, Rs 3,000 (hospitality), Rs 6,000 (hospitality), Rs 18,000.

Mumbai City FC 

Tickets for Mumbai City FC’s first two home matches at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai against FC Pune City (Oct 18) and NorthEast United FC (Oct 14) respectively are available at

http://in.bookmyshow.com/sport/indian-super-league/mumbai-city-fc/?&utm_source=mumb_sta_sp_mumbai_city_fc_061014

Ticket categories: Rs 125, Rs 200, Rs 250, Rs 350, Rs 2,500 (hospitality tickets).

NorthEast United FC 

Tickets for NorthEast United FC’s first two home matches at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati against Kerala Blasters FC (Oct 13) and Atlético de Kolkata (Oct 16) respectively can be purchased online at

http://in.bookmyshow.com/sport/indian-super-league/north-east-united-fc/

Ticket categories: Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 400 and Rs 1, 000.

FC Pune City 

Tickets for all of FC Pune City’s home games at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune can be purchased online at

http://in.bookmyshow.com/sport/indian-super-league/fc-pune-city/

Ticket categories: Rs 300, Rs 600, Rs 1,200, Rs 3,500. 

FC Goa

FC Goa have announced the sale of tickets for their home games to be played at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda. Tickets are available online at

 http://in.bookmyshow.com/sport/indian-super-league/fc-goa/                                                                                        

Ticket categories: Rs 100 (North and South Stand), Rs 200 (East Stand) and Rs 300 (West Stand), Rs 2500 (corporate tickets).

 Season Passes for home matches are also available, for which a fan pays for six games and watches the seventh one free. 

 In addition to BookMyShow, tickets can also be bought from a number of venues across the state, including Cafe Coffee Day outlets, The Mobile Shop stores and select Videocon outlets. Ticketing booths are being set up at the PJN Stadium Fatorda, FC Goa’s home ground, from where tickets will be available from 9^th October onwards.