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Saturday 31 March 2018

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.

Friday 30 March 2018

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.

Wednesday 28 March 2018

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,


Thursday 22 March 2018

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.





Sunday 18 March 2018

Mailson Alves double header hands Chennaiyin FC 2018 ISL title beating Bengaluru FC 3-2.



The odds were stacked against Chennaiyin FC, as they faced a marauding Bengaluru FC in their own fortress at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in the ISL final in a battle worthy of a summit clash for the ISL glory. Chennaiyin FC raided the fortress with brilliant attacking prowess as they handed a crushing 3-2 defeat to the Blues to end their 10 games unbeaten run to be crowned as the 2018 ISL Champions.

Goals from Mailson Alves(17',45') and Raphael Augusto(67') sent Bengaluru FC to an excruciating defeat in front of their raucous home support to hand Chennaiyin FC their second ISL glory on Saturday night with Mailson emerging as the hero for Chennaiyin FC with two thumping headed goals.

For Chennaiyin FC it ended as often it does with the smiling and fist-thumping team photos amidst eruption of confetti as John Greggory's side came from a goal down from Sunil Chhetri's diving header on the 9th minute to vanquish a memorable 3-2 win.

Bengaluru FC looked to stamp their dominance in their game as they came out all guns blazing in their 3-4-3 formation as the fullbacks overlapping from both sides kept Chennaiyin FC holed up in their own half in the first quarter of the game. Talismanic skipper Sunil Chhetri put Bengaluru FC ahead as his diving header from Udanata's cross found the back of the net on 9th minute but the lead was shortlived as Mailson Alves's towering header from Gregory Nelson's corner to restore the parity at 1-1 on the 17th minute.

The Blues were again found-out wanting to defend from the dead ball situation as Mailson scored his second header of the night rising above his marker John Johnson from Nelson's corner to give Chennaiyin FC a crucial 2-1 lead going into the halftime with another thumping header leaving Gurpreet Singh no chance to save it from crashing to the back of the net.

Back in the second half as Bengaluru FC came out attacking but Chennaiyin FC maintained a compact defensive formation and used Bengaluru's high line of attack to score their third goal on 67th minute as Jeje found himself with space in the box and managed to hold off his markers to play it back to Raphael Augusto on the edge of the box.The Brazilian set himself up with a good first touch to unleash a spiffing right-footed curler past Gurpreet Singh to give Chennaiyin FC 3-1 lead in the summit clash in the 67th minute.

With a 3-1 lead, Chennaiyin FC got the breathing space and played with composure as Bengaluru FC desperate for an inroad kept knocking the Chennaiyin FC defense.Sunil Chhetri once again came close to put Bengaluru FC back in the game on the 72nd minute as his header from Perez's corner destined for the goal was saved by Karanjit Singh.
John Johnson came close to scoring with a header from point-blank range as Miku's cross found him right in front of the goal but Inigo Calderon's crucial touch deflected the ball enough to prevent John Johnson from scoring.

The best chance of the second half fell to Sunil Chhetri on the 86th minute as Miku powered himself into the box from the right and his cut-back found Sunil Chhetri with the wide open goal in front of him but Chhetri blazed his shot over the goal to sum-up a disastrous night for the Blues.

Deep into the injury time, Miku managed to pull one back for Bengaluru to make it 3-2 on the 92nd minute from Udanta's cross but it was the proverbial too little too late, as clocked ticked by and Chennaiyin FC was sent into a rapturous  celebration with the referees' final whistle to stamp a 3-2 win to be crowned as the winners of ISL 2018 Champions.

MATCH AWARDS:

Club Award: Chennaiyin FC

Swift Limitless Player: Raphael Augusto

DHL Winning Pass of the Match: Gregory Nelson

Amul Fittest Player: Sunil Chhetri

Emerging Player: Jerry Lalrinzuala

Hero of the Match: Mailson Alves

Friday 9 March 2018

Indian Coach Stephen Constantine announces 32 man squad for AFC Asian Cup qualifier match against Kyrgyz Republic


India, who have already qualified for the final round of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, have now announced their squad for their final qualification  AFC Asian Cup qualifier match against the Kyrgyz Republic scheduled to be played at Dolun Omurzhakov Stadium on 27th March 2018 at Bishkek.

India has already qualified from Group A with 13 points from 5 games recording four wins and a draw.Stephen Constantine's 32 men squad features most predictable regulars who from the core of the team while experienced goalkeeper Subrata Paul's omission is bound to raise some eyebrows.
Stephen Constantine's incongruous  team selection is a shift from the pragmatic approach and Indian football fans finds it baffling as club team irregulars and underperforming players like Sumeet Passi, Hitesh Sharma and Holicharan Narzary gets selected ahead of consistent performers like Michael Soosairaj, Samuel Lalmuanpuia, Subhash Singh gets overlooked coming from the back of stellar performance for their respective teams in the recently concluded Hero I-League.
The surprise team selection from Constantine shirks young Indian players from ISL like Lallianzula Chhangte(Delhi Dynamos), Jerry Mawhimingthanga(Jamshedpur FC) and Mandar Rao Desai(FC Goa).
The match against the Kyrgyz Republic will not be a significant encounter for India in terms of qualification but the young Indian side will be hoping for a strong performance away from home at Bishkek.
The match will kick-off at IST 7.30pm (local time 8pm).

The list of probables is as follows:

GOALKEEPERS: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith, Amrinder Singh, Rehenesh T.P.

DEFENDERS: Pritam Kotal, Nishu Kumar, Lalruatthara, Anas Edathodika, Sandesh Jhingan, Salam Ranjan Singh, Sarthak Golui, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Narayan Das, Subhasish Bose.

MIDFIELDERS: Jackichand Singh, Udanta Singh, Seityasen Singh, Dhanapal Ghanesh, Anirudh Thapa, Germanpreet Singh, Rowllin Borges, Md. Rafique, Cavin Lobo, Bikash Jairu, Halicharan Narzary.

FORWARDS: Hitesh Sharma, Balwant Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Seminlen Doungel, Alen Deory, Manvir Singh, Sumeet Passi.

Thursday 8 March 2018

Minerva Punjab FC wins the Hero I-League beating Churchiil Brothers 1-0, NEROCA finishes second.



The wait, anticipation and excitement of the penultimate matchday of Hero I-League finally drawn to a conclusion as the complex calculations of other three teams winning the League was nullified by an outright win for Minerva FC. A 16th-minute strike by William Opoku was enough to see the Punjab side winning the Hero I league with 35 points.
Minerva FC started the League brilliantly but lost momentum in the latter part as they started to the surrender advantage losing to East Bengal and Chennai City FC.
But Minerva managed to get their acts right in their final game as they managed to beat Churchill Brothers to secure the Hero I League title with a fairly dominant display finishing three points clear of NEROCA FC.
In the other game, East Bengal against NEROCA FC ended in a 1-1 draw as Odilli Felix Chidi's 42nd-minute goal was cancelled out by Dudu Omagbemi's 73 rd minute header as East Bengal failed to break the deadlock ensuring a second-place finish for NEROCA with 32 points.
Having a slender lead by one goal, NEROCA FC closed the game early in the second half to settle for a draw due to the fact that Minerva was 1-0 ahead and the Manipur side did not want to risk their second place standing by going for an open attacking game with the risk of conceding.
As Mohun Bagan failed to beat Gokulam Kerala FC despite having a lead from Dipanda Dicka's headed goal on the 25th-minute which was cancelled out by Henry’s goal just on the stroke of halftime from a defensive error. Mohun Bagan finished the league with 31 points, level on points as East Bengal but sneaked past their Kolkata rival East Bengal on the league table due to a better Head to Head record to finish third, as East Bengal finished fourth.

Now the focus shifts on the Super Cup's inaugural edition where 16 teams from Indian Super League and I-League will battle it out in the final round which is expected to start on 31st March 2018 at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

Tuesday 6 March 2018

Super Thursday Awaits Indian Football, As Four Teams Chase I-League Glory.


That's it.The finale is here.Four teams, three matches across three cities separated by a faraway geographical distance will witness the finish to the most tantalizing finale to the Hero I-league as four teams go into the matchday with a chance to win it if equations are in their favor.
With the arrival of the glamorous big money ISL, the Hero I-League has been reduced to the status of a foster child of Indian football.
I-League faithful have always been loyal to the support of close to century-old clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal while new forces emerge in the form of Shillong Lajong FC, Aizawl FC and latest additions like NEROCA FC to challenge their legacy.
Far away from the glitterati of ISL, thousands of these faithful fans from Kolkata, Manipur and Punjab would be descending to stadiums or be glued to TV on Thursday with the hope to witness their teams emerge as Champions.

Post 90 minutes there will be celebrations, tears of joy on one side while heartbreaks and tears of grief await for the other three sides. That is inevitable.
The emotions will be possibly a little high for the age-old Kolkata teams as the dust is due to settle on the invigorating finish the I League is due coming Thursday.
Let's look at the equation for the four teams to win the League:

Winning Equation for MINERVA PUNJAB FC:

1.Win against Churchill Brothers
2.Draw against Churchill Brothers FC
3.Then East Bengal vs NEROCA FC must also be a draw.

Winning Equation for NEROCA FC:
1.Win against East Bengal FC
2.Minerva Punjab FC must not win against Churchill Brothers

Winning Equation for Mohun Bagan:
1.Win against Gokulam Kerala FC
2.Minerva Punjab FC must not win against Churchill Brothers
3.NEROCA must not win against East Bengal FC

Winning Equation for East Bengal FC:
1.Win against NEROCA FC
2.Minerva Punjab FC must not win against Churchill Brothers
3.Mohun Bagan must not win against Gokulam Kerala FC.



HERO INDIAN WOMEN'S LEAGUE TO KICK-OFF ON MARCH 25



Defending champions Eastern Sporting Union will take on Indira Gandhi Academy for Sports & Education on the opening day as the 2nd edition of the Hero Indian Women’s League – IWL kicks-off in Shillong on March 25, 2018
 
The tournament will be played among seven teams who face each other once with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals to be played on April 12, 2018. The final is slated for April 15, 2018.
 
Hero I-League 2017-18 debutants Gokulam Kerala FC, the sole club from I-League to have fielded a team in the IWL will also be in action on the first day itself when they take on Rising Student Club of Odisha.
 
Promotion of Women’s Football stays on top of All India Football Federation’s priority list and the first edition of the IWL organized in Delhi in early 2017 was a massive hit with the fans, gaining a viewership of over 8.5 million on AIFF’s social media handles.
 
AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das said that the development of Women’s Football remains a top priority for AIFF.
 
“We at AIFF understand the future and potential of Women’s Football in India. The second edition of the IWL will provide an opportunity to many a budding woman footballer to pursue her dreams of playing top-flight Football in India,” he said.
 
“The first edition was a huge success for which I need to thank all the various stakeholders as we aim to carry on the momentum. Good luck to all the participating teams and may the best team win,” he added.
 
Participating teams: Eastern Sporting Union, Rising Student Club, KRYHPSA, India Rush Scocer Club, Sethu FC, Gokulam Kerala FC and Indira Gandhi Academy for Sports & Education.

Santosh Trophy: A shadow of it's past legacy in Indian Football.


One of India's oldest existing tournaments Santosh Trophy finds a place in the federation calendar every year but once what was a premier tournament of national selection has lost much of its charm having condemned to being a league for states fringe players.


Santosh Trophy was started by The Indian Football Association way back in 1941 and named it after Maharaja of Santosh Manmatha Nath Roychowdhury who served as Present of East Bengal Club and The IFA back in the 1920' when East Bengal won the second division of The Calcutta Football League and known for his tactful handling of several administrative crisis and administrative skills in the early days of Indian Football.
Before 1996 when the National League(Presently I League) was born, Santosh Trophy was the premier inter-state championship where leading players of India turned up in their state colors to gain prominence for a national team call-up and often that would lead to securing prestigious jobs with office teams like Indian Railways, Services, Reserve Banks and many other state departments.

In 1990, AIFF made a landmark ruling making Santosh Trophy a youth tournament for U-23 players but the decision was revoked after three seasons.
With the start of National Football League(NFL) from 1996, top players made their allegiance clear with the respective club as Santosh Trophy's importance started dwindling with the rise of NFL.
AIFF  changed NFL' s name to I-League and give the opportunity to the huge pool of fringe and youth players made it mandatory from 2013 to make Santosh Trophy an inter-state tournament for players who are not registered on I-League.

This served as a final death knell to the leagues already falling popularity as every year players from mostly second division teams and local state teams turn up for this competition to stay visible and impress the scouts of bigger teams.
Bengal has been the dominant team in the tournament winning the tournament a whopping 32 times most recent being the defending champions in the last edition(2016-17) beating Goa in their own backyard.

Bengal would once again fancy their chances to exert dominance in their home as 10 teams divided into 2 groups would contest for the final round of the Santosh Trophy starting 19th March in Kolkata.
Here is the Grouping and Final Fixture of the Santosh Trophy:
The fixtures of the tournament are as follows:

GROUP A

19/03/2018 – Chandigarh vs Kerala
19/03/2018 – Manipur vs Bengal
21/03/2018 – Maharashtra vs Bengal
21/03/2018 – Chandigarh vs Manipur
23/03/2018 – Kerala vs Manipur
23/03/2018 – Maharashtra vs Chandigarh
25/03/2018 – Bengal vs Chandigarh
25/03/2018 – Kerala vs Maharashtra
27/03/2018 – Manipur vs Maharashtra
27/03/2018 – Bengal vs Kerala

GROUP B

20/03/2018 – Odisha vs Punjab
20/03/2018 – Mizoram vs Goa
22/03/2018 – Karnataka vs Goa
22/03/2018 – Odisha vs Mizoram
24/03/2018 – Punjab vs Mizoram
24/03/2018 – Karnataka vs Odisha
26/03/2018 – Goa vs Odisha
26/03/2018 – Punjab vs Karnataka
28/03/2018 – Mizoram vs Karnataka
28/03/2018 – Goa vs Punjab

SEMI-FINALS
30/03/2018 – Winner Group A vs Runners-Up Group B
30/03/2018 – Winner Group B vs Runners-Up Group A

FINAL
01/04/2018 – Winner Semi-Final 1 vs Winner Semi-Final 2

Monday 5 March 2018

East Bengal draws 2-2 with Lajong FC, stays pinned at third on the league table.



The crucial away game of East Bengal against Lajong on Monday was anticipated to be a defining encounter in the Kolkata side's title chase as they desperately needed to win the game to keep their title destiny in their own hands before the final encounter against NEROCA FC.
The ebb and tide of the Hero I League unfolded yet another drama as East Bengal salvaged a 2-2 draw against Lajong on Monday to relinquish the advantage they had at the start of the game as a doubleheader from Dudu Omagbemi on 20' and 87' was canceled out by Lajong's Aiban on 49' and Samuela on 69' as both sides settled for a 2-2 draw.

The script for the dramatic encounter was set from the start as East Bengal needed to secure 6 points before the game to win the league without depending on the results of other teams.
Both teams had a positive start to the game as free-flowing football descended at the JLN Stadium under lights as both went in for the early goal to take the control of the game.The battle soon became evident as East Bengal's midfield engine of Al Amna, Katsumi, Lobo, and Brendan took the compact defensive formation of Lajong led by their talismanic captain Samuel.
East Bengal opted for a 4-4-1-1 as Kromah tucked in behind Dudu Omagbemi as to take the attacking duties along with Kevin Lobo and Mahmoud Al Amna to construct attacking build up from the center of the park.
The game started at a fast tempo and 20-minutes down the clock East Bengal opened the scoring as Dudu Omagbemi sneaked in behind the defenders to head in from a flawless cross down the left channel from Chullova to put East Bengal ahead in the game.
Lajong had their moments in the game as Samuela's well-connected shot barely managed to glaze the woodwork before going out as East Bengal went into the break with a slender 1-0 lead.
Back in the second half, the home side started to take the attack to the East Bengals half as Odafin's shot from Koffi's assist landed wide off the target.
Lajong's illusive equalizer finally came on 49th minute from a freekick as Saihou Jagne was brought down in the attacking third and Samuela delivered a teasing cross into the box and it took faintest of headed deflection from Aiban to land at the back of the net as Lajong drew level 1-1 on the 49th minute.
As East Bengal kept the pressure on Lajong, chances started to come in a flurry as Brandon Vanlalremdika had two decisive attempts on goal saved by  Nidhin Lal's acrobatic attempts to keep East Bengal at bay.
Lajong on the other end looked to catch East Bengal off-guard on the break as Koffi managed to follow a long ball into the box and managed to hold off three East Bengal defenders around him.
Koffi managed to play the ball to Samuel but young Left-back Mahtab Singh's unnecessary tackle on Samuela resulted in referee pointing to the spot for a penalty. Samuel himself stepped up to the spot to hammer it past Ubaid to give Lajong the lead on the 69th minute.
As Lajong looked to ease away with all three points, East Bengal struck back in the 87th minute through Dudu Omagbemi's second header of the game as the striker gleefully headed in from Kromah's flick to put East Bengal at 2-2.
As East Bengal pushed men forward in search of the winner, Lajong caught East Bengal on the counter as Samuel managed to break free in the 95th minute and laid it off to Abdoulaye Koffi but the Ivorian failed to put the game to bed as the weak left footer went wide.
As the clock ticked by, both teams had to settle for a 2-2 draw which is a huge blow to East Bengal's title campaign whose fate lies entangled in a myriad of permutations and combinations added with the results from other teams. 
The first four teams in the league table are separated by just 2 points going into the final game of the I League on 8th March 2018 as all four contenders would contest on the final match day to seal the fate of the I-League which is expected to go all the way down the wire.









Asia’s best 15 teams have identified their AFC Women’s Futsal Championship Thailand 2018 opponents after the tournament’s official draw at the AFC House, Kuala Lumpur on Monday.


Thailand, who finished third in 2015, will play hosts in the second edition which kicks-off in Bangkok on May 2 to 12, and are set to face Hong Kong, Indonesia and Macau in Group A.


In Group B, Malaysia take on Vietnam, Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh, while Japan, runners-up in the previous edition, were drawn with China PR, Bahrain and Lebanon in Group C.


Islamic Republic of Iran will start their defence of their title against Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in an all Central Asian affair in Group D.


The winners and runners-up from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.


Group A:

A1 - Thailand

A2 - Hong Kong

A3 - Indonesia

A4 - Macau


Group B:

B1 - Malaysia

B2 - Vietnam

B3 - Chinese Taipei

B4 - Bangladesh


Group C:

C1 - Japan

C2 - China PR

C3 - Bahrain

C4 - Lebanon


Group D:

D1 - Islamic Republic of Iran

D2 - Uzbekistan

D3 - Turkmenistan

Saturday 3 March 2018

Mohun Bagan beats Churchill Brothers 2-1, as Akram Moghrabi's winner keeps The Mariners in the title-hunt.


Mohun Bagan continued their late resurgence beating relegation-threatened Churchill Brothers 2-1 to keep their title hopes alive on Saturday at Tilak Maidan, Goa.
Mohun Bagan went in with the regular 4-4-2 formation Akram and Dicka leading the line supported by Sheik Faiaz and Nikhil Kadam from the flanks.Watson and Yuta in charge of the midfield as Gurjinder Kumar started on the left wing and Kingshuk Debnath replaced Rana Gharami to pair with Eze Kingsley to guard the central channel.
Both teams had odd chances in the first but it was mostly barren as none of the teams could bring out the creativity in the attacking third to break the deadlock as the first half saw cagey approach from both teams.
The second half was deemed to be more exciting as Francis found himself with space in an advantageous position but failed to connect the shot properly to hit it straight to the keeper.
Mohun Bagan used the long ball strategy as Akram and Faiaz won two back to back headers in the attacking half to find Dicka who played a square pass to Nikhil Kadam, who finished it off with perfectly placed left-footer past diving keeper James Kothan to put Mohun Bagan ahead in the game on the 54th minute.
As Churchill desperately looked for an equalizer to escape their relegation threat, it took them 20 minutes after conceding to find the equalizer through Osagie Monday 74th minute.
The move started with Dawda Ceesay playing a delightful ball towards the left channel to Nicholas Fernandes who put in a low cross into the six-yard box and Osagie Monday slotted it in from close range to make it 1-1 on the 74'.
Mohun Bagan's next goal came off a comedy of errors as Akram Moghrabi failed to connect the header from Sheikh Faiz's cross from point-blank range from an angle it seemed impossible to miss as the ball rolled back into play.
Mohun Bagan kept the attack alive from the same move as Faiaz delivered another brilliant cross within few seconds but this time around Akram Moghrabi made amends for his mistake seconds earlier to bury the ball at the back of the net to make it 2-1 for Mohun Bagan on the 76th minute.

As the clock ticked by, Churchill failed to find an equalizer as Mohun Bagan completed a 2-1 win to climb the third position on the league table.Mohun Bagan will look to win their final match against Gokulam Kerala to have an outside chance to win the league should other reams falter.

Friday 2 March 2018

Aizawl FC signs off their I league season with a 3-1 win over Gokulam Kerala FC


Two goals from Leonce Dodoz and a strike from Lalkhawpuiamawia saw Aizawl FC beat Gokulam Kerala FC 3-2 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on Friday as the Aizawl side wrapped up their I league season in style.
Aizawl FC has found a potent attacking combination in their forward line with Dodoz and Puiamawaia as the attacking duo kept Gokulam FC on their toes testing the Kerala defense.
After absorbing the early pressure giant killers Kerala made their presence felt as Rashid launched a stinging volley on the 19th minute that forced Lalawmpuia to a diving save to his left.
Gokulam Kerala FC found a break into the game as they were awarded a penalty on the 24th minute as Henry Kissaka's shot found Kim Kima's outstretched hands and the referee straight away pointed to the spot.
Mahmoud Al-Ajmi stepped up for the spot kick to give Gokulam a 1-0 lead.
Aizawl FC tried to get back into the game but Kerala FC managed to see through the first half with a 1-0 lead.
The second half saw Santosh Kashyap's side piled up the pressure on Gokulam defense and Aizawl FC finally broke Gokulam defense as Dodoz scored from a goalmouth melee within the crowd of Gokulam defenders from Albert's cut back to restore parity at 1-1 at 59'.

Charged by the equalizer Aizawl FC found their feet as Leonce Dodoz scored a brilliant solo goal in the 74th minute to put Aizawl 2-1 ahead.
The brilliant move saw Ionescu released Dodoz on the left flank from a counter-attack as Gokulam committed men forward in search of an equalizer.Dodoz with space darted down the left flank into the box skipped past his marker and finished from a tight angle on the left to make it 2-1.

Aizawl didn't take long to make it 3-1 through Mawpuia's strike on the 78th minute as the striker rattled the net with a volley that came from Gokulam's goalkeepers Bilal's fisted clearance inside the box.
With the 3-1 win, Aizawl FC presented their fans a perfect parting gift as the state celebrates Chapchar Kut festival to round off their I league campaign with 24 points as the defending champions head off to Guwahati to for their AFC Cup campaign against ISL giants Bengaluru FC on 7th March 2018.