The Socceroos are the CHAMPIONS of ASIA after winning an epic AFC Asian Cup final against Korea Republic 2-1 after extra-time!! Massimo Luongo and James Troisi scored the goals after Korea had equalised right at the end of 90 minutes. But the hosts dug in through extra-time, and won the nation's first major football trophy in history!!

I League new boys Royal Wahingdoh take on Bengaluru FC on a good run of form at Home.

Luis Figo Obtains Necessary Backing to Challenge for FIFA Job

Luis Figo, is now in the running along with Asian Football Confederation vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, Dutch football chief Michael van Praag, ex-FIFA executive Jerome Champagne and former French winger David Ginola

Paris: Former Portugal international Luis Figo confirmed on Friday he has obtained the backing letters of six national football associations, with five being the minimum, to challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency.

"I am happy to confirm that my six backing letters have been sent to FIFA this week ahead of the deadline," the 42-year-old former Real Madrid and Barcelona star said on his Twitter account.

FIFA's electoral commission must now validate or refuse, within approximately ten days, the candidates eligible to challenge the long-serving Blatter at the May 29 elections.

Figo, is now in the running along with Asian Football Confederation vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, Dutch football chief Michael van Praag, ex-FIFA executive Jerome Champagne and former French winger David Ginola.

Van Praag also revealed he has backed by six associations including Belgium, Sweden, Scotland, Romania, the Faroe Islands and naturally the Netherlands.

Van Praag and Jordanian Prince Ali appear to have the strongest cases to overthrow Blatter, who is bidding for a fifth term, but has come in for a barrage of criticism over the voting process that led to Russia being given the rights to host the 2018 World Cup and Qatar the 2022 tournament.

Figo found support in the form of compatriot and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho on announcing his decision.

"Luis Figo's candidacy is a great step forward for football. His career over many years guarantees a better future for FIFA," said Mourinho.

"I believe in his character and determination as well as his passion for the game. He will be a president focussed on football and its general improvement, acting closely with all federations."

Blatter on Thursday submitted his candidature and is favourite to be re-elected.

"Today (Thursday) is a key date in the electoral calendar. I've made my submission, now the electoral committee follow a process," the 78-year-old Swiss wrote on his Twitter account.

Blatter, who has held the post since 1998, had already indicated his intention to seek another term, and has wide support in Asia, Africa and Oceania.

It has yet to be confirmed whether Ginola and fellow Frenchman Champagne have won the necessary backing of five associations.

"I am waiting for one or two confirmations to present the five backing letters," Ginola told AFP on Thursday.

"Obviously it is very difficult, difficult to bring a message to a system that is so locked. But I remain confident and we're still in the race," added the former international who is being paid £250,000 ($376,000, 332,000 euros) to stand by a betting company and was looking to generate money for his bid via crowd-funding.

Wasteful Bagan rues missed opporunity to be held 0-0 in crucial away game against Salgaocar

GOA: McDowell Mohun Bagan missed a plethora of chances as they settled for a goalless draw against Salgaocar Football Club in an away Hero I-League clash at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Wednesday.

Mohun Bagan started the match as favourites and had plenty of chances to stake claim for full points but their finishing was not up to the mark. Salgaocar, on the other hand, will be happy to walk away with a point given the fact that they missed several of their players.

Mohun Bagan and Salgaocar FC took the field without any of their frontline strikers and it showed in the manner in which the opening 45 minute shaped up.

Mohun Bagan did not have Cameroonian striker Pierre Boya and Bagan missed him terribly. Sony Norde was entrusted with the responsibility of getting the goals and although he did have some chances, the final touch was missing. Sony’s first chance came early in the game when Manish Bhargav sent a through ball which Sony did well to trap and control but his finish was awful: wide of goalkeeper Subrata Paul.

Another chance to Sony went abegging as Augustin Fernandes thwarted his opponent just in time. There was time for yet another chance, this time Sony sent the ball wide of the target.

Salgaocar FC restricted themselves mostly to the midfield and chances were few and far between. The only time they looked like surging ahead when a cross from Rosario Mendes evaded the Bagan defence and fell nicely for Aslon Oliveira. The youngster, however, made a mess of the opportunity.

For the rest of the game, Douhou Pierre tried to lift his teammates and create something out of nothing but the hosts did not seem up to the task.

In the second session, Mohun Bagan continued with their dominating performance and Katsumi Yusa and Sony tried to work their way past a cluttered Salgaocar defence, without much success. In the 54th minute, Bagan’s Pritam Kotal unleashed a powerful shot which goalkeeper Subrata Paul parried away with great difficulty.

Salgaocar had a lucky escape in the 65th minute when a hasty clearance from Gurjinder Kumar saw the ball turn into Salgaoar’s own goal but referee Santosh Kumar spotted an infringement on Balwant Singh and disallowed the goal.

Hero of the Match – Subrata Paul (SFC)

East Bengal retains bragging rights over Bengaluru FC with 1-0 win

EAST BENGAL GET PAST BENGALURU FC AT HOME

• KOLKATA: Kingfisher East Bengal recorded their first home win of the Hero I-League this season as they got past defending Champions Bengaluru FC, courtesy of a goal from Abhinash Ruidas, at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday evening.

Bengaluru FC had their first real chance of the match, within just five minutes as Joshua Walker played a lovely weighted lofted through ball towards Robin Singh. The Indian international hesitated for a moment which was enough for Milan Susak to put a sliding tackle in, to avert the danger.

Sunil Chhetri almost single handedly made his way into the box from the left as he danced past the challenges in the tenth minute, but it was a last ditch challenge from Deepak Mondal that dispossessed the skipper and it was another chance wasted for the Blues.

Bengaluru’s bad luck continued, as just five minutes later Walker got enough time and space in the centre of midfield and seeing Subhasish Roy Chowdhury off the line, chipped it delightfully towards goal. It was only the underside of the crossbar that came in the way of the Englishman as the goal keeper was well beaten. Robin Singh though was at hand to pounce on the rebound but he only managed to sky it from close range.

In the 23rd minute it was another long range piledriver that was somehow stopped by Subhasish who dived ever so well to his left. This time it was Eugenson Lyngdoh who had hit it ever so well.

The Red and Golds who seemed to be sluggish in the attacking half did manage to carve out two half decent chances on either side of the half hour mark. First it was Leo Bertos who squeezed in a grounded pass towards the centre. Baljit Sahni stepped over it to leave it for Ranti Martins, only to see the Nigerian waste too much time, allowing Osano to clear.

A couple of minutes later it was another great cross from the left by Deepak Mondal but Ralte was on hand to grab it cleanly, in spite of Ranti going up for it.

The Blues had three gilt-edged chances after the 40th minute all of which they spurned. First it was Rino Anto who played a lovely ball out of defense, straight onto the path of Sean Rooney. The Australian, under Milan Susak and Subhasish’s challenge failed to get a touch to it and the ball fell to Lyngdoh on the right. His cross into the box again fell to Rooney who horribly struck it over in front of an empty net.

Just two minutes later, Saumik Dey almost paid the ultimate price for his callousness as he allowed Robin Singh to pounce as he failed to bring a back pass down. Thankfully he did manage to go back and put a block in for only a corner.

A perfect training ground corner routine failed to bear fruit as Deepak Mondal blocked Chhetri’s ferocious shot after Lyngdoh’s corner had found the India skipper on the edge of the box.

The Red and Golds did manage to punish the away team for their profligacy in front of goal and they bagged the lead in the 53rd minute. It was Deepak Mondal who dribbled past Keegan Pereira on the right before squaring it across the face of the goal. Although Ranti failed to connect properly with the ball, he did manage to direct it towards Ruidas who was waiting at the far post and slid the ball inside the goal to give his team the lead.

After a concerted period of pressure from the rejuvenated Red and Golds, Bengaluru FC finally came back into the game with a flurry of chances which they somehow again managed to waste.

In the 66th minute Joshua Walker did so well to squeeze in a cross towards Sean Rooney but his looping header was tipped over by an alert Subhasish.

Merely five minutes later, Robin Singh’s pass into the box was missed completely by Arnab allowing Rooney to lay it off to Beikhokhei Beingaichho to take a shot but unfortunately for him, Arnab was at hand to block his shot with a header to make up for his earlier mistake.

Rooney was in the thick of things again as he failed to find the target from point blank range after Rino had found him with a perfect cross.

This was followed up by Robin Singh who emulated his counterpart and failed to direct his header towards the target after Rooney had found him completely unmarked.

Baljit Sahni had the chance to finish off the game for good after Ranti did ever so well to hold off both Curtis Osano and John Johnson. Instead of going for goal himself he passed it to Baljit whose shot failed to test the Bengaluru custodian.

With the victory, East Bengal have four points from two matches while the reigning champions are only on a point from three matches so far.

Hero of the Match – Abinash Ruidas.

Mohun Bagan A Vs Mumbai FC : Katsumi-Norde duo sizzles at Salt Lake Stadium to beat Mumbai FC by 3-1 margin

McDowell’s Mohun Bagan started their Hero I-League campaign in flying colours as they recorded a comfortable 3-1 victory against Mumbai FC at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday evening.

The first clear-cut chance of the game went Mumbai’s way in the 10th minute of the game. From a corner-kick, Justin Stephen headed the ball on target, but Shilton Paul, the skipper of the hosts stretched to his left to pull off a good save.

Only three minutes later, Mohun Bagan drew the first blood through Yusa Katsumi. Sony Norde, the Haiti international fed Balwant with a long ball from the left flank. The India international headed the ball to Katsumi’s path who chested it down and calmly slotted it home past a hapless Kunal Sawant.

Mumbai had a golden opportunity in the next minute, but even after running into the box, Taisuke Matsugae placed his shot straight to Shilton’s gloves.

However, the away side didn’t have to wait long to earn their equalizer. Rahul Bheke delivered a dangerous throw-in from the left flank which was headed on by Justin Stephen. The ball then went to Josimar, who nodded the ball home from close range with Shilton remaining out of position.

In the 25th minute, Mohun Bagan went ahead once again, courtesy of a howler by Justin Stephen. The Indian defender made a meal of a routine aerial ball as it went past him to be received unhindered by Sony and the Haiti attacker calmly placed the ball into the net, much to the ecstasy of the spectators gathered.

Josimar almost restored parity after the half-hour mark as he exchanged a quick pass with Taisuke after being fed by Jayesh Rane. He managed to take a swipe from inside the box, but his left-footed effort was denied by the post.

The teams went into the break with the score-line reading 2-1 in favour of the hosts.

After the break, Sanjoy Sen’s troop continued to dominate the proceedings, but couldn’t make many clear cut chances. The Mariners in particular looked vulnerable while dealing with the long throw-ins by Rahul.

Yusa Katsumi completed his brace in the 69th minute when Manish Bhargav sent in a brilliant low cross from the right flank for the Japanese for him to tap in, with the entire breadth of the net at his mercy.

There was late drama left in the game as Kunal Sawant, the travelling goalkeeper handled the ball outside his area while trying to stop Balwant Singh on his tracks. Tejas Nagvenkar gave him the marching orders and Cletus Paul had to stand between the sticks for the remaining part of the game.

Mohun Bagan held on to the lead and notched up their first home win to start their campaign against Jamil’s side, which seemed to have a number of aspects to ponder upon.

Santosh Trophy East Zone Qualifiers Fixture

Santosh Trophy 2014-15

 
Bihar

vs.

 
West Bengal

0-1

17 January, 2015

Bengaluru FC are Federation Cup champions

Bengaluru FC	2
Chhetri pen-10', Robin 65''
Dempo SC	1
Ozbey pen-45+2''

Bengaluru FC showed just why they are the best team in the country by beating Dempo 2-1 in the final to be crowned kings of the Federation Cup at the Nehru Stadium, in Fatorda, on Sunday. Robin Singh came off the bench and rose to glance home Beikhokhei Beingaichho�s peach of a cross in the 65th minute after Tolgay Ozbey�s penalty at the stroke of half time cancelled one by Sunil Chhetri.

Ashley Westwood�s champions came into the final having bossed the tournament and found a perfect match for an opponent in Dempo who, like Bengaluru, made the finals without having dropped a game.

Bengaluru FC shot into a 10th minute lead when Haroon Amiri brought down Eugeneson Lyngdoh in the box. Chhetri stepped up and sent Laxmikant Kattimani the wrong way to score his third penalty and sixth goal of the Cup. But just while the Blues looked like calling the shots on possession, Westwood was forced to make a substitution he wished he didn�t have to. Joshua Walker, who has been brilliant through the fortnight, seemed to have pulled his hamstring and cut a disappointed figure as he made way for Robin.

Bengaluru didn�t let the early hiccup trouble their plans as they kept shape and possession without trouble. But just as the Blues seemed to have seen the half through, Dempo were awarded a penalty of their own when referee Pratap Singh deemed John Johnson to have tugged on to Amiri�s shirt while the hosts had taken a corner. Ozbey smashed home from the spot.

Dempo began the second half with problems of their own when scorer Ozbey had to limp off in the 51st minute.

Robin, as he has done so often through the Cup, turned super sub with a delightful header from an equally precious ball that Beingaichho floated after a string of BFC passes. But soon after the goal, Dempo were dealt a double blow when Rowilson Rodrigues was a shown a straight red for an alarming studs-up challenge on Thoi.

Up a man, Bengaluru were denied with off-the-line saves on two occasions by Francis Fernandes and Kattimani. Dempo began throwing all they had at the Blues but were either lackadaisical with their finishing or were being stuffed out by the Bengaluru defence. Curtis Osano even bagged the �hero of the match� award for his composed effort at the back. Bengaluru saw out the last few minutes without fuss and even came close to scoring on a couple of occasions while on the break

Federation Cup 2014-15