SAFF Championship 2018 draw concluded, India in Group B with Sri Lanka and Maldives.

SAFF Suzuki Cup 2018 official draw was concluded on Wednesday at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka as seven South Asian teams from SAFF conference learned their opponent and pool groupings.

Hosts Bangladesh are in Pool A along with Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan while defending champions India are in Group B with Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

The tournament will kick off on September 4th and group stages will continue till 9th and the two semi-finals will be held on September 12th with the final on 15th September 2018.

SAFF President Kazi Md Salahuddin speaking to media delegates said: “We raised the curtain on what will be the 12th edition of our region’s biggest and most important international tournament."

Bengaluru FC comes from a goal down to beat East Bengal 4-1 in the Super Cup Final.

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty                                                                                         Image Source: The AIFF

Bengaluru FC inspirational skipper and captain Sunil Chhetri described the inaugural Hero Super Cup final as "one of the best game of my life" after scoring two goals to help his team beat East Bengal 4-1 at the Kalinga Stadium.

Ansumanah Koramah pulled off a stunning overhead volley in the 28th minute to give East Bengal an unlikely lead in the game after Gurpreet Singh failed to deal with a corner.

Bengaluru was the dominant side as the attacking trio of Miku, Chhetri and Udanta kept pegging East Bengal in their own half with free-flowing attacking football.

Erik Paartalu and Victor Perez orchestrated the midfield constructing attacks down the wing using Udanta and Chhetri as well as constructing attack down the middle to put tremendous pressure on East Bengal defence.The pressure finally paid off when Rahul Bheke lost his marker Kromah to head in from the corner in the 39th minute to give Bengaluru FC the much-needed equalizer.

But East Bengal was dealt a serious blow just before the halftime mark when Samad Ali Mullick was red carded for an unnecessary high elbow into Subhasish Bose's face and the referee gave him the marching orders.

Back in the second half, 10-man East Bengal tried to contain Bengaluru FC but with the introduction of Toni Dovale in place of Erik Paartalu, Alberto Roca went for an all-out kill as East Bengal started to look vulnerable defensively.

On the 68th minute, Bengaluru found the stroke of luck as they were awarded a penalty after Gurwinder handled the ball inside the box in an attempt to clear a corner.Sunil Chhetri stepped-up to spot to send the keeper the wrong way as Bengaluru FC lead 2-1 in the night.

With a nose ahead in the game and 10-man East Bengal looking for an equalizer left gaping holes in the East Bengal defence as Bengaluru started to tighten the noose with Toni Dovale and Victor Perez synchronised attacks in the final third to create a flurry of chances.

In the 71st minute, Victor Perez neatly threaded a pass to Miku who sidestepped his marker Eduardo to unleash a powerful shot beating Ubaid as Bengaluru started to show their elixir of class with another theatrical display of dominant football.

With 3-1 up for the night, the catastrophe for East Bengal was finally completed when Sunil Chhetri scored his second of the night in the 90th minute with a perfect header from Udanta's cross as 4-1 scoreline lay testimony to the victory that was never destined to be comfortable, it was, in the end, convincing as Bengaluru FC lifted the Hero Super Cup 2018 trophy.

Bengaluru comes from a goal down to slay Mohun Bagan 4-2 to enter Hero Super Cup Final.

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty

Bengaluru FC showed mettle and class as they came from a goal down and reduced to 10-men to beat Mohun Bagan 4-2 in the Hero Super Cup semi-final.

Both teams came out attacking in the opening stages as Nikhil Kadam found himself in space inside the box in the 7th minute but could not set himself up for the shot and skied the ball away from the target. Boithang had an opportunity on the other end moments later as the match swayed end to end but ended up missing the target narrowly.

As the match progressed the Bengaluru FC trio of Udanta, Miku and Chhetri started to combine well in the attacking third as Mohun Bagan were forced to defend deep into their box.

Udanta had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring when he beautifully turned around his marker inside the box but could not find the target in the 18th minute as Mohun Bagan were on the ropes.

But it was Mohun Bagan who opened the scoring in the 42nd minute as Dipanda Dicka netted in from close range from Akram Moghrabi's assist to give Bagan a 1-0 lead going into the halftime interval.

Back in the second half, Bengaluru FC suffered a major setback being down to 10-man as Nishu Kumar was red carded for a reckless tackle on Nikhil Kadam in an empty space and was given the marching order for being the last defender.

10-man Bengaluru was not cowed down by the setback as they took the attack to Mohun Bagan as Miku showed his class from the 62nd minute onward as he secured the equalizer with a powerful strike inside the box to beat Shilton to make it 1-1.

The second goal came in the 65th minute as Mohun Bagan were caught napping from a quickly taken free kick by Bengaluru FC as Miku slammed in past Shilton Paul to script a remarkable turnaround for Bengaluru FC to make it 2-1.

Miku completed his hattrick in the 89th minute with a perfect penalty to make it 3-1 as Bengaluru FC clearly looked the dominant side in front of a hapless looking Mohun Bagan.

The magic moment of the game came in the 90th minute as Sunil Chhetri produced a stellar goal cutting back inside the box to lose his marker and buried his right-footed curler from 18 yards out past a diving Shilton Paul to put the game to bed with a 4-1margin.

Dicka managed to pull back another goal, his second of the night to make it 4-2 but it was too late as Bengaluru FC walloped to a fantastic 4-2 to make it to the final where they face a resurging Eat Bengal side. 

Dudu’s 78th minute goal hands East Bengal a place in Hero Super Cup Final, beats FC Goa 1-0.

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty

Dudu Omagbemi turned the savior for East Bengal as the striker's 78th-minute strike gave East Bengal their ticket to the final of the Hero Super Cup 2018 beating FC Goa 1-0.

FC Goa was seriously incapacitated due to the suspension of 4 key players as Hugo Boumous, Brandon Fernandes, Sergio Juste and Bruno Pinheiro missed out due to suspensions.

East Bengal came all-out attacking and it was Mahmoud Al-Amna who missed the easiest chance of the half, failing to tap-in from six-yard box with the goalkeeper at his mercy.

Ferran Corominas did well wonderfully to make his way through brilliant individual skills into the East Bengal box, right into the stroke of half-time but could not keep his shot on target in his second attempt.

Back in the second half, both teams looked to create chances and opportunities went begging due to lack of quality in the final ball. Ferran Corominas was at the heart of the action as he dangerously lurked around East Bengal box and made some good penetrative run to stretch the backline. Corominas came close to scoring in the 73rd minute when his thunderous freekick from just outside the box rattled the crossbar.

In a match of measured attacking approach and stubborn defending it was East Bengal who opened the scoring in the 78th minute through Dudu Omagbemi when the Nigerian poked his feet into Katsumi's cross to give East Bengal 1-0 lead. Dudu Omagmeni showed his importance in the team as the lone positive striker with his poaching instinct in a crucial game to open the scoring.

Any chance for an FC Goa comeback met with a serious blow when influential midfielder Edu Bedia needlessly clattered down Kromah on the 82nd minute and was given the marching orders by the referee.

FC Goa had two golden chances right at the trailing end of the game when Ferran Corominas lurking in the box tried to meet a beautiful cross but Eduardo's intervention and clearance averted the danger but almost went back into his own net.

The second one saw Manvir Singh found himself in open space in the 92 minute after some indecisive defending from Gurwinder but the striker failed to keep his shot on the target as FC Goa’s chance for an equalizer seemed improbable.

As time ticked by East Bengal did just enough to see off the match and cruise into the final with a narrow 1-0 lead where a dominant Bengaluru FC awaits them in an enticing encounter between two familiar foes now coming off different leagues.

Sunil Chhetri hattrick sends Bengaluru FC to semi-final, beats NEROCA FC 3-1

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty

At 33, Sunil Chhetri is not quickest around as the wrong side of 30 starts to take away a yard or two of pace, the magic starts to fade away and younger quicker opponents beat you for a chase or close you down in a flash.

But the name is Sunil Chhetri, India and Bengaluru FC's talismanic skipper is showing no signs of slowing down as the striker hammered another hattrick in a big game against a tough and resolute NEROCA FC side in the Hero Super Cup quarter-final.

Chhetri showed his skills of being an elite poacher lurking at the right areas around the box, with his twinkling feet and pouring out his magic as he completed his hat-trick deep into the extra time with a swaggering show of force to take Bengaluru FC into the semi-final.

The first goal came in the 13th minute as Chhetri released Udata into open space down the right flank.Udanta delivered a whipping cross into the six-yard box as NEROCA FC keeper Lalit Thapa could only push it away but Chhetri was positioned perfectly between two defenders to bury the header into the back of the net.

NEROCA FC managed to restore parity and scored the important goal just at the stroke of halftime.Aryn Williams long ball from the freekick was not collected cleanly by Gurpreet and fell to Pritam Singh whose first shot bounced off the keeper but placed the ball into the goal in his second attempt to make it 1-1 in the stoppage time of first half.

Back in the second half, NEROCA threatened intermittently as Felix Odilli Chidi broke away into space during a couple of occasions but could not find the target.

It was Sunil Chhetri in the 55th minute showed his brilliant poaching skills as he timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap to find himself in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper and headed it down nicely to put it past Lait Thapa, as Bengaluru FC went 2-1 up.

NEROCA almost found their moment in the 79th minute, when Ashok Singh's cross found Chidi in the box but the striker failed to keep his header into the frame.

But the game belonged to Sunil Chhetri as showed his class and lethality as the 33-year-old still had the astute and hunger to make run into the box overcoming the tiredness and fatigue of playing in hot, humid conditions.

It was 94th minute on the clock and Chhetri still managed to get the run into the box as Toni Dovale laid it off for Chhetri into the box who shielded himself from the vision of the keeper behind his marker Gorimangi Singh to bury the ball at the back of the net.

3-1 to Bengaluru and Sunil Chhetri as the Bengaluru FC finds themselves at the business end of yet another tournament as they renew their rivalry with old foes Mohun Bagan in a mouth-watering semi-final encounter on 17th April 2018 at the Kalinga Stadium.

6 Red cards and 6 Goals, as FC Goa beat Jamshedpur FC 6-1 in a dramatic encounter.

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty

A bizarre quarter-final game saw 3 players from each team being red carded at halftime as FC Goa beat Jamshedpur FC 5-1 to make it the Super Cup semi-final.

Goals from Brandon Fernandes (34’), Ferran Corominas (P – 69’), Manvir Singh (77’), Hugo Boumous (78’; 89’) saw FC Goa thrash Jamshedpur FC as Ashim Biswas managed to pull one back for Jamshedpur FC deep into the injury time (90+2').

Goa led 1-0 at the halftime with a 34-minute strike from Brandon Fernandes going into the break.But a clash between the players of both sides at half time saw 3 players from each team were shown red card. Subrata  Paul, Belfort and Anas Edathodika were sent off from Jamshedpur’s end, Fernandes, Sergio Juste and Bruno Pinheiro were red carded for FC Goa.

The six red cards changed the tactical shape of both teams as more space on the pitch was well exploited by FC Goa passing and possession football as they adapted well to the downsized formation.

Corominas has been the top marksman for FC Goa and the Spaniard scored on 69th minute from a penalty after being brought down into the box by Memo.

With a 2-0 lead, FC Goa started to play with flair and freedom as Jamshedpur FC's eulogy was being scripted by then as Manvir Singh added a third in the 77th minute.

With the match rolling into the final 10 minutes, Hugo Boumous strike twice within few minutes(78’; 89’) with the first coming off a brilliant forward run and unleashing a powerful left-footer to score his first.His second came in the 89th minute as the Moroccan neatly tucked a low cross from Edu Bedia to complete pegging the final nail in Jamshedpur FC' s coffin.

Ashim Biswas managed to grab a consolation goal right at the end(90+2') with a composed finish as the match ended without any further drama with Jamshedpur FC's 5-1 annihilation.

FC Goa will now take on Kolkata giants East Bengal in the semi-final with a depleted side as three key players would miss out due to suspension in the crunch game.

Seedings confirmed for AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019™ draw

The seeding for the eagerly-anticipated draw for the most prestigious competition on the Continent, the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019™, which will take place on May 4, 2018, 7:30pm (UAE time), in Dubai has now been confirmed following today’s release of the latest FIFA World Ranking.

In line with previous editions of the AFC Asian Cup, the hosts United Arab Emirates have been allocated the first position in pot one in the draw to be held at the Armani Hotel in the UAE’s iconic Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. This will ensure they will play the opening match on January 5, 2019, at the Zayed Sports City Stadium.

The 12 teams, who received an automatic bye into the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019™ after qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^TM - Asian Qualifiers Final Round, have already secured their places in pots one and two and have been allocated spots following today’s publication of the latest FIFA ranking.

Meanwhile, the 12 teams who qualified from the recently concluded AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019™ Qualifiers Final Round have been seeded in pots three and four and positioned accordingly based on the same rankings.

This means the hosts UAE along with Islamic Republic of Iran, defending champions Australia, and the tournament’s most successful nation, Japan as well as Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia will take pole position in pot one, while China PR, Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Qatar and Thailand have been seeded in pot two.

Debutants Kyrgyz Republic, who were the biggest movers in world football in the FIFA Ranking - up an astonishing 40 places - take their place in pot three alongside Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, India and Vietnam. Meanwhile DPR Korea, Philippines, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen and Turkmenistan make up the final six teams in the final pot.

The expansion from 16 to 24 teams will see countries representing all five AFC zones divided into six groups of four teams each, with the top two and four best third-placed teams advancing into the final 16 of the competition, which lives up to its slogan of “Bringing Asia Together.”

AFC CUP: Abahani Limited Dhaka beats Aizawl FC 3-0 in Group E encounter.

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty                                                                                                                   Image Source:The-AFC

Three first-half goals saw Aizawl FC being decimated by a 3-0 loss in the group E clash of the AFC Cup matchday three on Wednesday against Abahani Limited Dhaka,

Aizawl FC's accident-prone defense was tested early on, as Rubel Miya tried his luck inside the box after some intelligent work by Emeka Onuha in a quick attack on the break. The shot took a deflection of Lalrosanga's feet to land at the back of the net as Abahani took 1-0 lead in just 2^nd minute into the game.

Ndaku Alison soon added a second in the 28th minute, as Aizawl FC failed to deal with a corner as Sunday Chizoba's header was cleared off the line but Alison was positioned perfectly to slot it into the goal to make it 2-0 for the visitors.

Aizawl FC's effort to regroup was dealt another blow in the 37th minute when left back Nasiruddin's cross was headed down by Chizoba onto the path of Seiya Kojima inside the box.The Japanes chested it down and hammered it past Lalwnpuia to set Abahani 3-0 ahead in the game.

Aizawl FC managed to consolidate their leaky defense in the second half with introduction of Andrei Ionescu added more control in the midfield pairing with Masih Saighani.

Both teams, failed to add any further goals to their tally as Abahani managed to bag all three points with a comfortable 3-0 win as both sides meet again on 25th April at Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka in Aizawl's away game.

AFC CUP: Bengaluru FC stays on top of Group E with a 1-0 win over New Radiant SC

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty                                                                                                  Image Credit: The-AFC

Bengaluru FC managed to steal a scrappy 1-0 win over New Radiant SC(Maldives) in their Group E encounter at Sree Kanteerava Stadium with a late goal from Nishu Kumar(90+1’)

The visiting sides dominated the game in terms of possession as Bengaluru FC rested a few of their first-team regulars due to their crucial Super Cup quarter-final game against NEROCA FC in few days’ time.

Sunil Chhetri was kept out of the playing XI as Thongkosiem Haokip paired with Daniel Segovia upfront in Albert Roca's 3-5-2 formation.

Haokip had a chance early in the 15-minute mark as goalkeeper Imran Mohammed came off his line to clear a long ball but his failed clearance fell to Haokip. Haokip took a shot on the goal but Haroon Amiri’s  goal line headed clearance saved the goalkeepers blushes.

Haokip was again involved as he intercepted a defensive square pass and played it to Daniel Segovia in a quick turn of attack, but the striker could not take his shot early and was swarmed by Radiant SC defenders to avert any further danger.

Bengaluru FC Coach Albert Roca made three tactical changes in the second half bringing in Subhash Bose, Victor Perez, and Sunil Chhetri.

The move finally played off in the first minute of extra time, as New Radiant SC playing a high line were caught on the break as Sunil Chhetri managed to break away with a solo run into the Radiant SC half and laid it off for Nishu Kumar advancing from the left back, who had a simple tap-in to make it 1-0.

With this win, Bengaluru FC sits on top of Group E with nine points as they face the same opponent at an away game on 25th April at the National Stadium, Male.

Hero Super Cup: Mohun Bagan tailors Shillong Lajong 3-1, seals Semi-Final spot

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty

Hero Super Cup witnessed the exit of the second north-eastern club in less than a week after Shillong Lajong were inflicted a 3-1 defeat in the quarter-final by a clinical Mohun Bagan on Wednesday at the Kalinga Stadium.

A goal each from Sheikh Faiaz, Nikhil Kadam and an own goal from Samuel Doe completed Lajong's misery as they managed one consolation goal from Abdoulaye Koffi.

Mohun Bagan opened the scoring early on the12th minute when Dicka chipped the ball into the box to Sheikh Faiaz who was swarmed by Lajong defenders but still managed to skillfully turn the ball into the back of the net despite being floored on the pitch as Lajong defenders failed to deal with the ball.

Mohun Bagan doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Samuel Doe's headed clearance landed at the feet of Nikhil Kadam who unleashed a venomous left-footed curler that landed inside the goal kissing inside of the bar.Referee Santosh Kumar awarded the goal to Mohun Bagan after consulting with the linesman as Mohun Bagan sat pretty on a comfortable 2-0 lead.

Shillong Lajong had their chance to make a comeback into the game when they were awarded a penalty in the 25th minute after Samuel was brought down inside the box was Kingshuk Debnath.

The Lajong skipper himself stepped up to take the spot kick but his shot was saved by Shilton Paul but Lajong hit back almost immediately after Abdoulaye Koffi headed-in from inside the box taking advantage of some indecisive defending from Mohun Bagan, to make it 2-1 on the 25^th minute.

The game was put beyond contention in the 60th minute when right back Arijit Bagui delivered a long ball into the box as both Akram Moghrabi and Samuel Doe dived to reach to the ball. The ball, unfortunately, took the touch of Doe's intended headed clearance to land at the back of the net.

With a comfortable 3-1 win the Mariners sailed into the Semi-Final and are due to meet the winner between Bengaluru FC and NEROCA FC.

Hero Super Cup: Last minute penalty breaks Aizawl FC hearts, East Bengal in semis with a 1-0 win.

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty

Aizawl FC faced quarter-final heartbreaks after being knocked out by East Bengal  in their quarter final match through a last minute conceded penalty as former Aizawl player Laldanmawia Ralte scored from the spot(90+5’)  to give East Bengal a 1-0 win.

Aizawl goalkeeper Lalawmpuia's heroics kept East Bengal at bay throughout the 90 minutes. East Bengal enjoyed the possession as Katsumi and Mahmoud Al-Ammna controlled the game from midfield.Aging striker Dudu Omagbemi had odd chances throughout the game but failed to convert,the best one coming on the 28th minute as the advancing striker failed to connect to Samad Ali Mullick's low cross with an open net at his disposal.

The afternoon kickoff and sultry heat took its' toll on players as the game were slow and measured,Aizawl FC's bests chance came in the 41st minute when Andrei Ionescu found himself in space unleashed a brilliant left-footed strike, only to miss the target narrowly.

Back in the second half, on the first minute, Dudu had a brilliant chance to open the scoring as he rounded off the advancing keeper but failed to keep the ball within the target as his left-footed curler strayed wide.

East Bengal finally got the break deep into the injury time when Al-Ammna played a through ball to Kromah into the box and Kromah managed to get the first touch to the ball before onrushing keeper Lalawmpuia brought him down inside the 18-yeards box.

The referee straightaway pointed to the spot and former Aizawl man Laldanmawia Ralte converted from the spot to confirm East Bengal's ticket to the semi-final of the Hero Super Cup where the winner of Jamshedpur FC against FC Goa's match awaits them.

Super Cup: FC Goa pips ATK 3-1 to confirm Quarter Final Spot

ATK's woeful season continued as the Kolkata side was humbled to a 3-1 defeat by FC on Tuesday at Kalinga Stadium.ATK player-manager Robby Keane's side couldn't turn the fortunes after a disastrous ISL season in the Super Cup being knocked out of the competition in their opening game. ATK lacked the depth and penetration as Robby Keane's battle was not enough to save ATK facing FC Goa's free-flowing football.
FC Goa attacking trio of Ferran Corominas, Brandon Fernandes and Mandar Rao Desai run amok the ATK defense with speed, distribution and variations in the attack.
ATK's side looked woefully out of shape and sloth at times as they were stretched by FC Goa's wing technicians Mandar and Brandon from the flanks while Edu Bedia was controlling the game from the central pitch.

FC Goa opened the scoring at the 45-minute mark when Edu Bedia's precision-guided pass threaded the ATK backline and found Ferran Corominas.Corominas was played on-side by Ashutosh Mehta beating the offside trap to unleash a powerful shot from close range to give FC Goa the crucial lead just before half-time
Back from the halftime, ATK struck back almost immediately as Robby Keane found the back of the net in the 50th minute as Zequinha's headed assist found Anwar Ali in the box who played it onto Robby Keane in the far post.Robby Keane showed his composure and acumen of a complete striker to skillfully slot the ball at the back of the net to restore the parity at 1-1.
As the match progressed, FC Goa enjoyed great possession and showed clarity in thinking as Hugo Boumous and Ferran Corominas combined well to knock ATK's door.Hugo Boumous finally found the back of the net on the 70th minute as he found himself in space inside the box from Coros delightful chip to rattle the net and put FC Goa on a 2-1 lead.
ATK's Hitesh Sharma, Mbatha and Zequinha had their moment's in the game but ATK failed to execute proper penetration in the attacking third as FC Goa piled on their misery through Brandon Fernandes's goal on the 77th minute to seal ATK's fate in the tournament.
FC Goa, by the virtue of this win, has confirmed their place in the quarter-final while ATK's horrendous season comes to an end.
 This well could be the last game of Robby Keane as a player, as the 38-year-old is unlikely to return as a player, leaving behind his memorable goals and  trademark celebrations to be etched in the memory of football fans.

Sanjiban's gloves save the day for Jamsdepur FC, beats Minerva Punjab FC 4-3 in tie-breakers

  By Rajarshi Chakrabarty                                                                                               Image Source:The AIFF

The end to end battle of the I-League Champions Minerva Punjab FC and Jamshedpur FC was eventually decided on penalties as both sides failed to find the back of the net during the 120-minutes at Kalinga Stadium on Monday.

The battle was evenly poised between the two teams as Minerva's potent attack led by Bhutanese goal machine Chencho Gyaltsen paired with William Opoku faced off with Jamshedpur FC's solid center-back duo of Indian International Anas and Brazilian Trindade Goncalves.

The match had everything a fan could hope for as two teams with distinct tactical game plan went into the game to seek an edge.Both sides came close to opening the scoring, the first real chance fell to Bikash Jairu whose left-footed curler found the bar.

As Chencho threatened the Jamshedpur FC defense time and again but lack of quality in finishing within the 18 yards box kept the game on a tender hook.Girik Khosla found himself in an advantageous position from Akash Sangwan's through ball as Jamshedpur FC were playing a high defensive line, but Girik failed to beat an advancing Sanjiban from the one-on-one position.

Back in the second half, the forward trio of Chencho-Opoku and Sangwan created fault lines in the Jamshedpur's defense as Opoku found himself in front of an open goal from a loose ball deflected by Sanjiban's save off Sangwan's freekick, but Opoku headed it wide.

As the game progressed into the final quarter, Minerva looked more ominous but they kept wasting galore of opportunities as Sanjiban's heroics kept the Minerva wave at bay.

Locked at 0-0 at the end of ninety minutes, the match eventually rolled into the extra time as both teams opted for a cautious approach and made sure not to concede any late goals in the knock-out encounter.The cagey and tight approach from both teams ensured none of the teams could steal a late goal as the match went into penalties.

In the penalty shoot-out, it was locked at 3-3 as Sanjiban's heroics proved to be the difference saving Bali Gagandeep's shot in “sudden-death” after Mehtab Hussain scored for Jamshedpur, to send Jamshedpur FC into the quarter finals.

Hero Super Cup Update: Mohun Bagan beats Churchill Brothers 2-1 to book a quarter final berth.

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty

Dipanda Dika inspired Mohun Bagan to a 2-1 win in their opening game of Hero Super Cup 2018 at Kalinga Stadium Saturday.

Mohun Bagan found themselves a goal down on 30th minute from a defensive error of Arijit Bagui as Willis Plaza slotted the ball past Shilton Paul to give Churchill Brothers 1-0 lead.

Mohun Bagan despite a goal down managed to control the game as Yuta Kinowaki and Watson continued to string passes and constructed attack down both flanks.Sheikh Faiz and Nikhil Kadam switched flanks often as attacks from the channel along the touchline stretched the Churchill defense.

Both Kadam and Faiz delivered aerial supplies to forward Dipanada Dicka and Akram Moghrabi as Churchill looked vulnerable and the pressure finally paid off at the stroke of half-time as Nicholas Fernandes's late tackle sent Sheikh Faiz on the floor. The referee had pointed to the spot as Dipanda Dicka stepped up to take the penalty, scored on his second attempt after his initial shot was stopped by the keeper Ricardo Cardozo.

Mohun Bagan kept the momentum alive in the second half pegging Churchill Brothers deep in their own half as Yuta Kinowaki came close to scoring but his curler from 20 yards out was saved by Ricardo.

As Mohun Bagan piled the pressure, the deadlock was broken on the 70th minute with a wonderful team goal.Watson's long ball found Akram Moghrabi into the box who headed it down to the path of an advancing Dipanda Dicka, I-League's top scorer took the opportunity gleefully to slide it past the keeper to make it 2-1.

Mohun Bagan contained Churchill keeping the possession and rallied the ball around as they looked the dominant side.There was no late drama as Mohun Bagan cruised to a 2-1 win to book a place in the quarter final.

Hero Super Cup 2018 Round of 16 Fixture

Aizawl FC beats Chennaiyin FC 5-3(2-2) on penalties to win opening game of Hero Super Cup.

The opening game of Hero Super Cup was a battle beyond the consequences of the 90-minutes of battle on the pitch in the round of 16 matches as ISL Champions Chennaiyin FC faced I league mid-table boys Aizawl FC.
It was a battle of "haves " against the "have-nots" as cash-rich Chennaiyin FC's star-studded side managed by former England International John Gregory took on Aizawl FC who mostly have a local squad of Mizo lads playing alongside Leonce Dodoz, Masih Saighani, Alfred Jaryan and Andrei Ionescu.

It was Aizawl FC who came out attacking using the wings and a compact defense as midfield combination of Alfred Jaryan and Masih Saighani had a brilliant game to repulse Chennaiyin's build-up play in the central part of the pitch.

The opening goal came in the 22nd minute from a brilliant run of Andrei Ionescu who took the Chennaiyin backline all by himself to evade a couple of blocks to curl it past Karanjit Singh to give Aizawl FC a 1-0 lead in the crucial knock-out game.

Chennayin FC looked dangerous in the second half with the induction of Thoi Singh on the flanks as Chennaiyin FC looked ominous going forward stretching the Aizawl backline as Aizawl FC was contended to put 10 men behind the ball and defend the slender lead.

The equalizer finally came deep into the game in the 89th minute when Mailson Alves slotted from point-blank range after Thoi Singh's header fell to him deflecting from the crossbar.

Locked at 1-1 as match rolled on to extra time, it was Aizawl FC's Andrei Ionescu once again who rattled the net with another curling shot past Karanjit inside the box as Chennai defenders failed to close him down in the first minute of the extra time.Aizawl looked to get Chennaiyin FC on the break, through Leonce Dodoz and Ionescu as Santosh Kashyap reshaped the formation to 4-4-1-1 to put more men behind the ball to protect the lead.

In the second half of extra time, Chennaiyin FC managed to grab an equalizer for the second time in the game in the 115th minute as Dhanachandra's grounded shot rolled into the goal through a crowd of Aizawl defenders as the unsighted goalkeeper had no chance to react.

Locked at 2-2 as the match went into the penalty shoot-out,  Aizawl scored all their shots as Chennaiyin FC's Mohd.Rafi was the guilty man of missing the goal ensuring a 5-3 win for the I-League side in a truly remarkable opening game of Hero Super Cup.

Santosh Trophy Road to final: Kerala,Bengal set up summit clash in the 72nd Santosh Trophy Final

Two traditional footballing powerhouses coming from the backyard of passionate football traditions and ardent fan following, far from the glitterati of Indian Super League and popular I-League, Kerala and Bengal is due to meet on the final encounter of unpretentious Santosh Trophy on Sunday(April 1, 2018).
The group stages of the competition witnessed poor crowd turnouts as matches were scheduled in the sultry afternoons with 3 PM kickoffs due to the apathy of the Federation, resulting in grueling physical strain on players and matches played in near-empty stadiums.

Much to the credit of the players who had to fight the arduous schedule of playing matches every alternate day in the scorching March summer to display some eye-catching football will be hoping for one final stellar show as curtains draw to close on the final encounter of Santosh Trophy between Bengal and Kerala.

Bengal upstaged Karnataka 2-0 in the semi-final with goals from Jiten Murmu in the 57th minute and Tirthankar Sarkar deep into the injury time to storm their way into the final.After an even first half, Bengal settled into the game holding majority of the ball possession constructing attacks using both the flanks in the second half.Sumit Das's brilliant run down the left flank took out two defenders as he played the ball into the six yards box for captain Jiten Murmu to slot it in the net to give Bengal the much-needed lead. Karnataka threw everything forward but the Bengal back-four held their fort and had an incredible game to deny Karnataka any chance to equalize.Deep into the game, Tirthankar Sarkar curled a wonderful freekick to put the game to bed ensuring Bengal's place in the final.

In the other semi-final,Kerala managed to overcome Mizoram with a narrow 1-0 win to seal a place in the Sunday final.A 54th-minute strike from substitute Afdal VK who slotted an opportunistic goal inside the box netting in a deflected loose ball from Rahul KP's shot inside six-yard box to give Kerala the much-needed goal in the game that looked pretty much locked as both teams had limited chances.
Bengal has been the dominant side in the tournament history winning the title 32 times while Kerala has been the champions on five occasions.The Sunday showdown in the Final is expected to be a feisty affair as two strong teams lock horns in the final for the crown.It will be a battle of wits, the battle of two distinct footballing styles and a humdinger of an encounter for footballing fans between the two deserving sides.

The football fans could only hope, that Federations and officials do justice to the final of this historic competition to organize the Final under lights during the soothing evening conditions in Salt Lake stadium to offer a spectacle for the  fans to throng the stadium and fill the galleries, something which Indian football needs beyond the glamour of ISL to witness the best of domestic talents showcasing their talent in a competition like the historic Santosh Trophy.

AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifiers: India loses 2-1 to Kyrgyz Republic in the final game of Group A

A chilly evening at Dolon Omurzhakov stadium in Bishkek saw the final encounter of Group A of AFC Asian Cup Qualifier between 
The Kyrgyz Republic and India resulting in a 2-1 win for the home side with goals from Zemlianukhin Anton(2') and Murzalev Mirlan(72') as Jeje managed to pull one back for India late into the game.

The Indian backline was caught napping as they could not hit their strides early into the games under chilling conditions at Bishkek, conceding an early goal in the second minute as  Zemlianukhin Anton rattled the net from a cross down the right from Zhyrgalbek Uulu Kairat’s cross. 

The home side kept the visitors under relentless pressure as Kyrgyz forwards tormented the Indian side-backs Narayan Das and Lalruatthara down both the channels to pile-on the pressure and could have easily enhanced the lead but goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's heroics under the bar kept the "The White Falcons" at bay.
India's best chance came on 20th-minute when Baimatov Azmhov handled the ball 20 yards out and was awarded a free-kick in a decent striking zone.Rowlin Borges stepped up to the set piece to rattle the post as Balwant Singh hit the net from rebound but was flagged offside.

Back in the second half, Kyrgyz maintained the possession and constructed attack from the deep while India looked to play with long ball strategy to find their target man Jeje and Balwant.Kyrgyz managed to put the game beyond contention in the 72nd minute when Murzalev Mirlan's flick beat Gurpreet inside the 6 yeards box to give the Kyrgyz Republic at 2-0 lead.
Jeje managed to pull a goal back for India with a neatly placed header from Narzary's cross to make it 2-1 in the 88th minute.
As the clock ticked by, the central Asian side managed to hold on to their slender lead and  picked up all three points at Bishkek with a 2-1 win but India managed to finish top of the group table with a better goal difference as both teams finished with 13 points to qualify for the Asian Cup 2019 finals,

10 most beautiful football grounds in India

By Rajarshi Chakrabarty

Football grounds are much like places of worship. Where ardent followers follow their faith (teams), pray for success and live on hopes during rough times. India is blessed with diverse geographical attributes and it adds to football grounds at some strikingly beautiful places to witness the flowing passion of football fans to witness the stories heroic success and failures.

So here is a list of 5 most beautiful grounds to watch football but remember some of them are just grounds and not conventional stadium as they say "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder"

10.Tilak Maidan, Vasco da Gama(Goa)

The 6000-capacity stadium located in the heart of Vasco da Gama offers excellent views of the Arabian Sea and adjacent fishing villages.

If the football isn't good enough to catch your eyes the view of floating small fishing boats on the turquoise blue water will definitely set you in a relaxed mode. Enjoy the laid back Goan culture, excellent local seafood from the restaurants around and a weekend game featuring local team Churchill Brothers can set the mood for your perfect weekend.

9.Kanchenjungha Stadium, Siliguri

Established in the 1980's the 40,000 capacity stadium located in the town of Siliguri has hosted important matches of I-League, Federation Cup, Santosh Trophy and International friendlies features Indian National team.

The stadium creates an electrifying atmosphere due to the close proximity of the spectators stands to the pitch.This humble looking stadium can surprise you on a clear day as you might be lucky to catch a glimpse of Mt.Kanchenjungha(8586m) the third highest mountain in the world while watching your local team play over weekends...not a bad deal right?

 8.Khuman Lampak Stadium, Imphal

Built during 1999, the 35000 capacity stadium is the home ground of Manipur side NEROCA FC.Known for passionate and raucous fan support the stadium located in Imphal valley which is surrounded by nine-hills offers excellent views of the field and the blue rolling hills around.The stadium garbs an atmosphere of festivity on match days and if you are headed to Imphal do make sure you catch the local side in action in this beguiling stadium with stunning views around.

 7.Lebong Football Ground, Darjeeling

Darjeeling is synonymous with tea, spectacular views of mountains, picturesque villages dotting the slopes of hills and pristine woods of pine and cryptomeria trees.But a bit off the radar lies the Lebong football ground, behold..it's not a conventional stadium with a lush green turf to play.But don't let the dusty surface distract you from the mesmerizing view it offers as you can watch local teams battle it out in competitions.The football ground host matches from Darjeeling Premier League and Darjeeling Gold Cup much to the excitement of the local fanfare.So if you are around Darjeeling grab a cuppa of Darjeeling tea and head to Lebong football ground for an engaging experience.

6.Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl

The home of Aizawl FC who did a "Leicester City" during the 2016-17 winning the I League in the season following they were saved from relegation offers pristine views and has been witness to several dramatic turns of events of Aizawl FC's campaign.The footballing loving Mizos throng the stadium in their traditional attires on match days with beating drums adds to the atmosphere of the adorable 20,000 capacity stadium located on a hilltop overlooking Aizawl town.

 5.Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium(Polo Ground) , Shillong

The Britishers named Shillong "The Scotland of the East" due to its glaring resemblance with the Scottish Highlands and this beautiful part of north-eastern India is home to one of the most beautiful stadium in India known as the Polo ground.The 27000 seater stadium is the home of Shillong Lajong FC in I League and hosts regular matches of I League and Shillong Premier League.The astroturf under lights engulfed by foggy and misty whimsical weather of Shillong creates a surreal atmosphere to watch football.

4.TRC Polo Ground, Srinagar

Srinagar located in Jammu and Kashmir which is the northernmost state in India often been compared to heaven due to its snowy mountains, lush green grasses, forest and pristine lakes and river.Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir is home to one of the exquisite football grounds in India-the TRC Polo Ground.

The artificial turf stadium is the home of Lonestar Kashmir FC, with the field dimension of an international standard of 115 meters by 70 meters in size.The 15000 capacity stadium built on the backdrop of Zabarwan mountain ranges and surrounded by majestic Chinar trees is a beauty to behold especially during autumn when the trees are turned into flaming red offers excellent views while watching your favorite game...straight outta heaven.

 3.Upper TCV Football Ground, Dharamshala

Upper TCV Football Ground in Dharamshala hosted tournament involving 8 teams from exile Tibetan communities in India, Nepal, North America and Europe in the 21st Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup located at beautiful Dharamshala doesn't fit into the conventional stadium definition.With its dusty playing field and stands made on the slopes of mountains, it offers majestic views of the mighty Dhauladhar range.

Mostly used by the local footballers from exiled Tibetan community, the monks in their bright red robs fills the white stone galleries is a uniquely endearing sight.

 2.Palzor Stadium, Gangtok

Known as the Polo ground, named by the former Monarch of Sikkim (Chogyal)  around 1943 because Britishers and few members of the aristocratic family of Sikkim played Polo at the Polo Ground is now a 30,000 capacity stadium which is the home ground of United Sikkim FC and Gangtok Himalayan FC.The stadium located in the city of Gangtok offers beautiful views of mountains and distant villages in the small Himalayan state.Palzor Stadium offers remarkable footballing spectatorship experience for fans.  But take note, you might be often distracted from the game by the breathtaking views the stadium offers of the mystic Himalayan ranges.

 1.Ladakh Football Ground, Leh

Imagine a football ground located at 11,480 feet where people struggle to breathe under low oxygen levels and a little physical activity causes substantial physical exertion. Battling these adverse conditions the local football clubs from Leh plays football tournaments under these challenging conditions to withstand extreme altitude at this picturesque football ground which offers views of the awe-inspiring views of the Karakoram range and cold desert like geographical conditions.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police(ITBP) organizes High Altitude Football Tournament which is dubbed as one of the world's highest tournament is attended with great excitement by the local football fans. Not a traditional stadium but the sheer panorama this ground offers added to the elevation is a spectacle for football lovers.