Category: Indian Super League

All Latest News, Previews, reports and Match highlights from Indian Super League

by Abhishek Shukla

Hero Indian Super League to Feature in EA SPORTS™ FIFA 22

Mumbai, September 11, 2021 FIFA 22, the most authentic football experience available, is adding even more realism with the Hero Indian Super League now being featured in this year’s game.

Hero Indian Super League in its eighth season (2021-22) and all the eleven ISL participating clubs, with their kits and other associated marks will feature in the latest edition of the sports video game franchise. The induction to FIFA 22 comes after ISL’s successful run-on FIFA Mobile in 2019, an initiative carried as part of Football Sports Development Limited’s license with EA SPORTS.

The development holds an important relevance to the highly active young Indian gaming community and fans alike in India and abroad. This will allow fans an additional incentive to experience their own homegrown football league, ISL and be able to engage and build deeper affinity towards their clubs and players.

Says ISL spokesperson, “We are excited and proud to see India’s premier football league, Indian Super League is set to debut in FIFA 22. The FIFA gaming platform opens unique opportunities for a young league like ISL and its 11 clubs to cater to the fast-growing fan base globally. The digital ISL experience will be a big innovation for the league this season onwards.”

With 17,000+ players across 700+ teams in more than 90 stadiums and over 30 leagues, FIFA 22 brings unrivaled authenticity through its stadium, player, club and league partnerships which represent the most comprehensive interactive football experience available. FIFA 22 is the only place you can play in iconic competitions such as UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, brand new UEFA Europa Conference League, Premier League, Bundesliga, LaLiga Santander, CONMEBOL Libertadores and CONMEBOL Sudamericana.

Powered by new HyperMotion* technology, FIFA 22 also combines Advanced 11v11 Match Capture and proprietary machine learning technology to deliver the most realistic, fluid and responsive football experience for next-gen consoles and Stadia, unlocking the raw emotion, passion and physicality of the world’s game.

FIFA 22 launches worldwide October 1st.
*Hypermotion technology only available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Stadia versions.

by Abhishek Shukla

Mumbai City FC sign experienced midfielder Bradden Inman

Mumbai, 7 September 2021: Mumbai City FC are delighted to announce the signing of midfielder Bradden Inman. The Australian midfielder joins the defending ISL Champions on a season-long contract until May 2022. 
 
A product of English club Newcastle United’s youth academy, Inman played his football for over 10 years in England, turning out for clubs like Crewe Alexandra, Peterborough United, and Rochdale AFC. In 2019, the Adelaide-born player returned down under to ply his trade for A-League club Brisbane Roar, where he scored four goals and provided five assists in 25 appearances in the 2019-20 season. 
 
The 29-year-old midfielder joined the fellow ISL side ATK Mohun Bagan ahead of the 2020-21 campaign and was loaned out to Odisha FC during the January transfer window. He made a total of 13 appearances in the ISL 2020-21 season, registering a goal and two assists to his name. 
 
After the conclusion of the ISL 2020/21 season, Inman signed a short-term deal with the A-League club Western United, where he made five appearances for them. 
 
Bradden Inman said: 
 
“I am pleased to join the defending champions Mumbai City FC. They have a clear goal and ambition about where they see themselves in the immediate, which is to win trophies and be one of the best clubs in Asia, and my goal will be to do my best in my bid to help the club achieve its objectives.” 
 
“It’s been a wonderful experience so far, for me, to play in India, and I am really excited to have joined Mumbai City. I feel like I have unfinished business in the ISL and I can assure the Club and the fans of my hunger to win football games with my new family.”  
 
Head Coach, Sergio Lobera said: 
 
“We are delighted to have an experienced player like Bradden with us at Mumbai City. He’s a quality player, and he is someone who will strengthen our attacking unit. His strong play-making skills will bring a lot of intensity and energy into the side. I am looking forward to working with him, and I am eager to see him make a difference for us on the pitch.”  

by Abhishek Shukla

Bengaluru FC launch home kit for 2020-21 season; JSW Group Is Principal Sponsor

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC launched the home kit for the 2020-21 season with the JSW Group returning for a second stint as the club’s principal sponsor, the Blues announced, on Saturday.

Launched through a video featuring club captain Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh and Suresh Wangjam, Bengaluru FC have gone with a classic blue kit from partners PUMA, complete with  a suave white collar and red stripes around the sleeve. Minimal in design, the home kit for the new season goes with the hashtag #SimplyBengaluru.

In a big development, the season and kit also marks the return of JSW as the principal sponsor of the Blues – an association Bengaluru FC had carried for five seasons from 2013 to 2018 on the front of their shirts.

Speaking on the return of JSW as the club’s principal sponsor, owner and club Director, Parth Jindal said, “As the JSW Group continues to build each of its businesses to be the best in the world, we are also rapidly increasing our consumer-facing businesses across steel, cement and paints. This calls for the JSW brand to be more visible and this is where sports delivers that advantage. This year, we are proud to be on the front of the jerseys of all the JSW Group Sports teams and are happy to be back on the Bengaluru FC Jersey.

“This Bengaluru FC team will always hold a special place in the JSW Growth story, as it marked our foray into sports in India and embodies all the JSW Group Core values of the confidence to dream big, the courage to spark progress, committing to deliver excellence with no excuses while always working with compassion and in collaboration with our communities. We couldn’t be happier to be back on the front of the BFC Jersey and I wish them the very best for the season.”

Speaking on the launch of the kit and the principal sponsor, club CEO, Mandar Tamhane said the Bengaluru FC blue has become synonymous with the city. “We’ve always looked to keep our home kit simple, much like most things in Bengaluru city. Through these colours we only hope to strengthen the bond the club has managed to develop with the city in such a short span of time.

“As for JSW choosing to be principal sponsors of the club, it is a matter of pride that they’ve chosen Bengaluru FC as a vehicle to carry the message of their expansion across sectors and industries. “

The new season of the Indian Super League begins in November and the Blues are slated to start their first phase of the pre-season at the club Academy in Bellary before proceeding to Goa at the end of October. 

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 2019/20: Goa rally past ATK to go top

Goa, December 14: FC Goa emerged 2-1 winners against ATK following a Hero Indian Super League game of two halves at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.

After a first-half laden with inaction, the game saw three goals in six minutes after the break which ultimately settled the fixture in favour of the hosts. Mourtada Fall (60′) headed in the opener for Goa but ATK equalised through Jobby Justin (64′). Ferran Corominas (66′) made an impact at the other end two minutes later to restore his side’s advantage.

With 15 points from eight matches, Sergio Lobera’s team has displaced ATK at the top of the table. Antonio Habas’ men are second with 14 points.

Ahmed Jahouh and Lenny Rodrigues bossed the midfield and forced ATK inside their own cage. However, neither team was able to carve out clear-cut chances. David Williams charged at the Goa defence just before the break, in an attempt to create something for his team. Seriton Fernandes’ firm challenge prevented the forward from getting a shot away quickly before Carlos Pena came around to clear the danger.

Goa’s dominance was finally rewarded from a set-piece at the hour-mark. Brandon Fernandes picked up his fifth assist of the season by delivering an excellent free-kick towards the far post from the right flank. Mourtada Fall outmuscled Augustin Garcia to head the ball into the net to put Goa ahead.

Jobby Justin’s maiden ISL goal turned out to be ATK’s equliser. Sehnaj Singh fed Roy Krishna into the box but Fall slid in with a brilliant tackle to take the ball off the striker. A minute after coming on, Jobby was at the right place at the right time to tap home the rebound.  

The game opened up after the deadlock was broken and Goa regained their lead immediately. From a quick counter, Boumous played a clever ball across the goal from the right for Ferran Corominas who guided it in at the near post to make an impact on his return from injury.

Goa’s composure on the ball stopped ATK from getting back into the game and the home crowd had plenty of reasons to celebrate when the scoreline remained unchanged at the full-time whistle.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 2019/20: Unbeaten Bengaluru face Mumbai hurdle

Bengaluru, December 14: It’s the battle of the blues as Bengaluru FC take on Mumbai City FC in a Hero Indian Super League clash at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Sunday.

After an indifferent start, the hosts have found their mojo and sit second on the table with 13 points from seven matches. More importantly, Carles Cuadrat’s men are unbeaten and have the best defensive record in the competition.

Bengaluru have conceded just two goals so far and one of them came from a penalty. Mumbai face a tough task of breaching the Bengaluru backline at the Sree Kanteerava where they are yet to ship in a goal this season. Both goals they conceded came in away matches.

Led by Juanan and ably supported by Albert Serran and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Bengaluru rarely afford opponents a crack at their goal. In fact, they have faced the lowest shots at home (23) in the league.

Whenever the defence has come under pressure, Gurpreet has been sensational in forming the last line of defence. He was particularly exceptional in Bengaluru’s 1-0 win over Odisha FC in the previous game, pulling off six saves.

“I think Mumbai have a few new players, but the soul of the team is the same. I trust my players and my team to do a good job. We have made it tough for teams to score against us, and we aren’t a good opponent to play against,” said Cuadrat.

While their defence has been exemplary, Bengaluru have struggled in attack. Their forward line has struggled to score goals and has just seven to show for their efforts. In fact, they scored more than one goal in a game just once – in a 3-0 win over Chennaiyin FC.

Jorge Costa’s Mumbai side will bank on Amine Chermiti to trouble the Bengaluru backline. The Moroccan is focal point in attack and has scored four goals this season.

Mumbai badly need a win at this juncture, having gone on a six-game winless run after their opening match win over Kerala Blasters.  

“It’s true that in the last games we did not lose but we did not win. We performed enough to win the games so tomorrow we need to continue like this with quality and a little bit of luck,” said Costa.

The Portuguese coach will bank on his team’s away form. They are unbeaten on their travels and six of their seven points so far have come from away games. Only FC Goa (9) and Odisha FC (8) have scored more goals away from home than the Islanders (5).  

“With all respect to Bengaluru, we are speaking about the champions. We will respect Bengaluru and all the teams but we want to play with quality and do our best to win the game,” he said.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 2019/20: ISL’s attacking forces collide in Goa as ATK come calling

Goa, December 13: What do you expect when two of the most attacking sides in the Hero Indian Super League lock horns with each other? Plenty of action, drama and definitely goals. That’s all probably a certainty as FC Goa hosts ATK at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Saturday.

The hosts, known for their fluid attacking style, have not exactly been at their best this season due to a variety of factors including injuries and suspensions. Despite that, they have picked up points even from lost causes, coming up with injury-time equalisers on at least three occasions.

The Gaurs find themselves third on the table with 12 points from seven games. Their opponents, ATK, have been brilliant ever since their opening day loss against Kerala Blasters FC. They are unbeaten in six games now and sit on top of the table with 14 points.

The match also sees the two best attacks in the league go head to head. ATK have scored 15 goals while FC Goa have pumped 13 so far.

Goa’s attack is expected to be further boosted by the return of star striker Ferran Corominas. Also, the form of Brandon Fernandes has been key to Sergio Lobera’s team. He was instrumental in Goa’s 1-0 win over Hyderabad in the last game, assisting Manvir Singh’s winner. With four assists, the midfielder has the joint-most assists this season.

“We are playing against FC Goa and not just (Ferran) Corominas. I know Corominas is an important player, but we don’t have any special tactics for him. Normally I don’t choose one player from the opposition or from my team. I understand football is a collective sport and not an individual sport,” said  ATK head coach Antonio Habas.

ATK’s attack, however, carries an equal if not a greater threat. Led by Roy Krishna, who leads the scoring charts this season with six goals, and David Williams, ATK have the ability to score at will. Add the creativity of Javier Hernandez and Edu Garcia into the mix, the Goan midfield will have to be at their best.

More importantly, ATK wouldn’t mind Goa enjoying most of the possession, given the pace they have going forward. Antonio Habas’ team are deadly on the counter and when given space to attack, Krishna and Williams are near unstoppable as NorthEast United found out in a 3-0 defeat last time out.

“For me, you will have to defend your goal and give your best. We have good strikers playing in front for us. We need to play hard and keep the concentration for every game, not only for ATK,” said Goa coach Sergio Lobera.

“Sometimes it is not always a very good start to the season. I am very happy now. We are playing good. We are not keeping too many clean sheets, but we will work on that,” he added.

Interestingly, Lobera’s Goa has never lost to an ATK side while Antonio Habas’ ATK team has never lost to Goa. There is so much to look forward to on Saturday.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 2019/20: Messi’s brilliance salvages the day for Kerala

Kochi, December 13: There was no shortage of entertainment as Kerala Blasters FC and Jamshedpur played out a 2-2 draw in a Hero Indian Super League clash at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday.

Kerala had the better chances to score but it was a Piti (38′) penalty that broke the deadlock. CK Vineeth (71′) added the visitor’s second before Raphael Messi Bouli scored a brace (75′, 87′) to pull his team level.

With the spoils being shared, Jamshedpur are third with 13 points from eight matches while Kerala sit seventh with seven points.

Mario Arques, who was deemed fit to start after a lengthy layoff, nearly got his team off to a splendid start. Seityasen Singh nicked the ball on the right flank and cut inside to deliver a threatening cross that was headed straight at the goalkeeper by the Spanish midfielder at the far post.

The visitors were careless in possession early in the game, with Jeakson stealing the ball off Aitor Monroy to set Raphael Messi Bouli free, but the Cameroonian striker couldn’t keep his shot on target.

With the game nearing half-time, the referee penalised Vlatko Drobarov’s manhandling of Tiri inside the box from a corner conceded by a Seityasen backpass. Piti calmly slotted home from 12 yards to put Jamshedpur ahead.

Kerala spurned a well-worked chance to equalise after the restart. Seityasen drilled a low cross into the box from the right flank for Arques who failed to connect at the near post. The loose ball fell perfectly for Sergio Cidoncha whose powerful strike from inside the box flew wide.

Sahal Abdul Samad’s introduction in place of Cidoncha in the second half gave the hosts a much-needed spark in midfield. In the 66th minute, the Kerala-born midfielder danced his way past the Jamshedpur defence before getting a shot away. Tiri was well-positioned to block the strike and keep his team in the lead.

Five minutes later, on his return to Kochi, substitute CK Vineeth struck Jamshedpur’s second. The forward played a one-two with Farukh Chaudhary before dribbling into the box and finding the gap between Rehenesh and the near post.

Kerala Blasters pressed high up the field as an emergency response and worked the ball well to find a goal in the 75th minute. Sahal produced a delightful chip from inside the box for Messi who nodded in at the far post to provide a ray of hope for his team.

With three minutes left for the end of regulation time, Kerala found an equaliser. Seityasen Singh dribbled into the box and was brought down by Robin Gurung. Messi stepped up and converted from the spot to complete his brace and a late comeback for Kerala.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 2019/20: Kerala look to end winless run as Jamshedpur eye top spot

Kochi, 12 December 2019: Kerala Blasters will be after that elusive second win of the Hero Indian Super League season when they take on Jamshedpur FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Friday.

The Blasters, after their opening matchday win over ATK, are winless for six games now. With three draws and as many losses in these six matches, the Blasters find themselves at the wrong end of the table in the eighth position.

However, they won’t have it easy against fourth-placed Jamshedpur FC who can go to the top of the table with a win in Kochi.

However, the form graph is interesting. Kerala Blasters played out two consecutive draws (against FC Goa and Mumbai City) coming into this match and so have Jamshedpur FC (against NorthEast United and Chennaiyin FC). Kerala coach Eelco Scahttorie and Jamshedpur manager Antonio Iriondo will want their sides to register a much-needed win on Friday.

Kerala have themselves to blame for the mess they find themselves in. The team looked on course for victory against both FC Goa and Mumbai City, only to concede late and settle for a point. The concentration in the latter part of matches have let the team down. Add to the mix the fact that Jamshedpur FC have scored 4 of their 9 goals in the final 15 minutes of games, Schattorie’s side have to be concerned. They have also shown a vulnerability while dealing with set-pieces.

“That (conceding late goals) has to do with the quality that you have in the team. One of the first things in team meetings at my previous clubs, one thing I keep repeating is that there has to be a mindset to have double alertness,” said the Dutchman.

“Last week we had some mismatch during set-pieces. You have to find a solution, in this case, I tell my players to be a bit smarter, a bit meaner, to be street-smart,” added Schattorie.

Though Raphael Messi Bouli has shone in attack of late, the absence of Bartholomew Ogbeche will weaken their frontline which has not exactly been on fire. The Men in Yellow have scored just six goals which is the second-lowest in the league.

But the return of influential midfielder Mario Arques will be a relief for Schattorie, though it is unsure if he will be fit enough to start.

Jamshedpur FC, on the other hand, have shown fighting spirit and tactical flexibility in plenty so far. They love having the ball but are equally deadly on the counter, thanks to the pace they have on the wings. The likes of Farukh Chowdhury, CK Vineeth and Aniket Jadhav have all impressed down the wings.

Also, Iriondo has a knack of getting his substitutions to work. This season, substitutes have helped Jamshedpur FC win crucial points when losing or have given them the lead when things were at a stalemate on numerous occasions.

However, the absence of star striker Sergio Castel and midfielder Piti is bound to affect the team’s gameplan and come as a relief of sorts to Kerala.

“I don’t know how Kerala’s winless run is going to affect the team but Kerala are a good team. They have not been lucky in the first part of the season due to factors like injuries. They try to play football, they have a good style. In this kind of short leagues, you don’t have too much time,” said Iriondo.

“Maybe Sergio and Piti were important for the team. Maybe if they were in the team, it would be different. We are missing them a bit now,” he also admitted.

Kerala Blasters have never beaten Jamshedpur in four encounters between the two so far and they have won only two out of their last 10 home games. Will they improve both records with a win on Friday or will Jamshedpur continue their march to the top?

by Abhishek Shukla

Odisha inch closer to top half with Hyderabad win

Pune, December 11: A 10-man Odisha FC picked up their second win of the season as they overcame Hyderabad FC 3-2 in the Hero Indian Super League match at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

Carlos Delgado (27′) and Xisco Hernandez (41′) gave Odisha a first-half lead before Bobo (65′) scored from the spot to set up a nervy finish to the game. Odisha were awarded a penalty of their own at the other end, which Martin Guedes converted to secure the three points. Rohit Kumar (89′) pulled one back at the death for the home side.

Odisha had Vinit Rai sent off for a second bookable offence in the 65th minute but they soldiered on for the rest of the match.

After eight matches, Odisha are sixth on the table with nine points while Hyderabad are at the bottom with four points.

The hosts’ intent to get off the mark quickly was evident as they pressed high up the field in a bid to launch one attack after another. Aridane Santana flicked a good cross-field ball by Diawandou Diagne into the path of Nandhakumar Sekar who was dispossessed by Adil Khan with a brilliant tackle just before the winger could get a shot away.

The intensity bore fruit as Xisco, who was ever-present in midfield, set up the first goal with a dangerous in-swinging delivery from a corner. Goalkeeper Kamaljit failed to punch the ball away and Delgado made full use of the chance to head home the opening goal.

A curling effort from Robin Singh flew inches wide as Hyderabad attempted to equalise but it was the home team who struck again before the break. The creator turned scorer as Xisco initiated a threatening move from the centre and passed it to Jerry Mawihmingthanga who returned the favour with a pin-point cross that the Spaniard slotted home from inside the box.

Odisha continued to threaten to add to their tally. Xisco was afforded a great chance to put the game to bed soon after the break when he was fed through by Jerry. The Spaniard attempted a dipping strike that flew wide of the target. Nandhakumar latched onto a diagonal from the deep, cut inside from the left flank and struck powerfully only to be denied by the crossbar.

Odisha were jolted when Vinit Rai handled the ball inside the box, conceded a penalty and was sent off for picking up a second yellow. Bobo made no mistake from 12 yards to give his team a chance to get back into the game.

Hyderabad’s hopes of a comeback were soon ended as Giles Barnes fouled substitute Martin Guedes and conceded a spot-kick at the other end. The Argentine stepped up and coolly slotted into the net to take the game away from Phil Brown’s men.

Hyderabad reduced the deficit in the 89th minute when a hopeful cross into the box by Gurtej Singh was headed in by Rohit Kumar but it was nothing more than a consolation.

by Abhishek Shukla

Odisha to host Hyderabad, both looking for a second win

Pune, December 10:  Odisha FC and Hyderabad FC will eye their second win in the Hero Indian Super League as the two sides come face-to-face at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

The teams have not exactly hit the ground running and find themselves in the wrong half of the table. While Odisha have six points from seven games and are placed seventh, Hyderabad are rock-bottom with just four points.

The teams have struggled in front of goal as they have only two goals to show from their last four outings.

In their last four matches, Odisha FC have only managed to garner a single point which was away to Chennaiyin FC. Coach Josep Gombau has time and again spoken of his preference to play an expansive brand of football and not giving importance to yielding results through a pragmatic approach.

“Tomorrow is a crucial match. It is a massive game for us. It’s all or nothing. We are with a chance to get to nine points and we are close to fighting for the play-offs as well. It is important to take this mentality and not add pressure on yourselves,” said Gombau.

The Spanish coach would take heart from their performance against Bengaluru FC last week where they created numerous chances to not just equalize but pick three points. However, as has been their story, they have been wasteful in front of goal. The likes of Xisco Hernandez, Jerry Mawihmingthanga have created chances galore but the conversion rate has not been great.

Set-pieces have been an issue for the home side as four out of the nine goals they have conceded have come through free-kicks or corner-kicks.

Hyderabad FC coach Phil Brown has his hands full as he needs to get his team up and running following their 1-0 defeat to FC Goa. What would make matters worse is that Marcelinho, their star performer, is suspended for the tie after having accumulated four yellow cards.

Their away form is nothing to be proud of. Of the 14 goals against them, 10 have come on the road. But Brown projects a confident picture ahead of the Odisha game, emphasising that his team is about to turn a corner.

“We respect Odisha, their coach and players, but we are just round the corner from a good run. As a coach, it’s my responsibility to make sure that players don’t get frustrated with results because of the way we play but I don’t think they are [frustrated].

“Odisha enjoy keeping possession in their games but possession doesn’t necessarily win you games, taking the opportunities certainly does and that’s what we will be trying to do tomorrow (Wednesday) night,” said Brown.

The good news for Brown is that centre-back Gurtej Singh and left-back Sahil Panwar are back in contention for a start. But influential midfielder Marko Stankovic will miss the game after suffering a hamstring tear in Hyderabad’s previous game against FC Goa.

It’s a battle between the underdogs and a win is something the teams desperately seek.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 2019/20: Chennaiyin tread tricky waters for first away win

Guwahati, December 11: NorthEast United will be keen to get back to winning ways when they face the Chennaiyin FC challenge at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati on Thursday evening.

The Highlanders have been winless in their last three games and were taken to the cleaners by league leaders ATK with a 3-0 drubbing on home soil. The manner in which Roy Krishna and David Williams exposed NorthEast’s problems at the back, especially in the left-back slot would leave coach Robert Jarni worried.

It must be mentioned that on each of the three times NorthEast have conceded the first goal, they have failed to pick three points.

Jarni will likely be without star striker Asamoah Gyan for this fixture which would mean Maximilliano Barrero would be handed a rare start alongside Martin Chaves.

“Gyan is very important to us but we have many players. I don’t know if he will play the next game but we have other good players in the team,” said the Croatian.

Chennaiyin FC would be just one training session old since their 1-1 draw to Jamshedpur FC. Coach Owen Coyle still hasn’t had enough time to inculcate or communicate his ideas to the players which also means that the John Gregory hangover would continue for another game.

They have made it a habit of conceding late goals, a trend which has been going for the last four matches. Each time, they concede the first goal, Chennaiyin FC have gone on to lose.

Masih Saighani picked up a knock in their last game and Coyle may replace the Afghanistan midfielder with Germanpreet Singh. They would continue to rely on Nerijus Valskis who has scored four goals in his last three matches.

What Coyle needs is for his team to not lose focus in the final quarter of the game and that they make better decisions when in good attacking positions.

“We do not fear anyone, we are respectful towards anyone. If we give our best, we can win a game,” said the former Wigan manager.

Guwahati hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Chennaiyin FC who have won just once in five attempts. Coyle would certainly look for a turnaround in their fortunes if they are to move upwards on the table.

by Abhishek Shukla

Chennaiyin FC announce Owen Coyle as Head Coach

Chennai, December 3, 2019: Chennaiyin FC are happy to announce that 53-year-old Scotsman Owen Coyle has joined the Hero Indian Super League club as their new Head Coach.

Coyle, a former English Premier League manager with Burnley and Bolton Wanderers, joins CFC on a contract till the end of the season.
“I am incredibly proud to join Chennaiyin FC as Head Coach. It will be my immense privilege to join a club with so much success already in its early history with two ISL titles. I believe we possess a squad with great potential and the hunger to do well, complimented by an ardent fanbase always backing us. I can’t wait to get started,” said an elated Coyle on the phone to the CFC media team. 

“Owen (Coyle) is a renowned name in British football, with a fantastic career as both player and coach. We are really happy and excited to have him onboard. Our conversations with Owen have been really promising and we are certain he will steer us back to glory. I wish him the very best as he begins his tenure with us,” said the Chennaiyin FC co-owners jointly.
Coyle enjoyed a long and impressive career as a striker with the likes of English Premier League Bolton Wanderers along with Dundee United and Motherwell in the Scottish top flight among other clubs. A Scot by birth and an Irishman by descent, Coyle has scored more than 300 goals in his entire playing career and has also appeared at the international level with the Republic of Ireland. 

His initial coaching assignments were in Scotland with Falkirk, St. Johnstone and former club Airdrie United before moving to Burnley in the English Championship. He won them promotion to the English Premier League in his first season in-charge, beating Sheffield United in the 2008-09 Play-Off Final at Wembley.

After a two-and-a-half years at Burnley, Coyle went on to become Bolton manager in January 2010. A tenacious EPL outfit under Coyle, Bolton also reached the FA Cup semis in his first season in-charge. Awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month thrice, he later moved to Wigan Athletic in the English Championship in 2013, followed by a first stint outside Europe with Houston Dynamos in USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS) in December 2014.

He then returned to the English Championship with Blackburn Rovers in 2016. That was followed by a short spell at Ross County in Scotland before his first move now to Asia in 2019, at the helm of the two-time Hero Indian Super League champions Chennaiyin.

Coyle’s CFC journey begins with a challenging trip to Jamshedpur FC on Monday 9th December 2019 at the JRD Tata Sports Complex.

by Abhishek Shukla

Bengaluru FC sign Spanish forward Manuel Onwu

Bengaluru: Indian Super League champions Bengaluru FC have completed the signing of Spanish striker Manuel Onwu Villafranca ahead of the 2019-20 season, the club announced on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old striker who becomes the 13th Spaniard to sign for the Blues, has put pen to paper on a one-year deal with the club having an option to extend it for another year.

“Having spent a fair bit of time playing in Spain, I was looking for a different experience. However, I wanted to join a strong project where we fight for ambitious goals. That’s the reason I’m very excited to join Bengaluru FC. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the club from many Spanish players in the league, and that helped me make a decision about coming here. I look forward to meeting my new teammates and hope to help the club build on their success from last season,” said Manuel after putting to paper.   

Welcoming him to the Blues fold, Coach Carles Cuadrat said, “Manuel comes in after a long playing career in Spain that includes playing at the very top. He will provide us with some good options in attack and we expect him to settle in easily. Of course, he isn’t a direct replacement for Miku, because we’re talking about two very different types of players. Manuel is a great professional, and his experiences will definitely make him a great addition to our squad.”

Born in Tudela, Manuel had youth spells with Club Atlético Valtierrano and CD Tudelano, making his senior debut with the latter in 2006. In 2007, Onwu signed with Osasuna B and had a couple of loan spells at CD Iruña (2007-08) and UD Alzira (2008) before returning to the reserve team of the La Liga side. While Manuel featured and netted regularly for Osasuna B in the Segunda B Division, he was called up to the first team and made his La Liga debut in March 2012.

Having played three seasons in the Spanish top flight and another one in the Segunda Division for Osasuna, Manuel had a brief spell in Georgia with FC Dinamo Tbilisi where he was part of the side that won the 2015 Georgian Cup. He returned to Spain the following season and featured for Lleida Esportiu (2015-16) and Lorca FC (2016-18) helping the latter to a promotion to Segunda Division in his first season. In January 2018, he moved to UCAM Murcia CF and featured regularly and in fact, was the top-scorer for theUniversitarios with 11 league goals in the 2018-19 season.

At Bengaluru, Manuel becomes the fourth Spaniard in the current squad joining Juanan Gonzalez, Dimas Delgado, and Albert Serran.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: Tight match between Jamshedpur and NorthEast ends goalless

JAMSHEDPUR: Jamshedpur FC and NorthEast United FC played out a goalless draw at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Saturday. The match saw only one shot on target over the ninety minutes and it came from the visitors.

The point lifted the Highlanders to the second spot in the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) table with 18 points from nine matches. Jamshedpur remained in the fourth spot and have 15 points from their 10 outings.

Both teams made a tentative start to the match and looked to maintain possession of the ball. The first chance fell to the home side on the ninth minute, after Memo found Pablo Morgado with a long pass from the midfield. The Spaniard took the shooting opportunity, but his effort was too high.

NorthEast hit back with a chance of their own on the other half of the field. Ogbeche did extremely well to hold off his marker inside the box, before laying the ball off for an onrushing Rowllin Borges. The midfielder, however, rushed his shot and put it over the bar.

As the half progressed, Jamshedpur started dominating possession, while NorthEast seemed content staying back and playing on the counter. But neither of the goalkeepers faced any serious test. Both defences kept their shape and most of the attacking play were restricted to shots from outside the box. Chances were few and far between in the first 45 minutes, as both teams headed into the break with the score level at 0-0.

The second-half picked up from where the first-half left off, with either team failing to make any definitive inroads into the opposition defence. It took 58 minutes to register the first shot on target in the match. Federico Gallego’s shot forced a regulation save from Subrata Paul.

On the hour mark, Jamshedpur head coach Cesar Ferrando introduced Tim Cahill to the fray in order the shake things up.

With 64 minutes on the clock, NorthEast almost found a way inside the Jamshedpur box after a dangerous backpass by Memo. But Subrata came off his line quickly to bail his teammate out.

The match started to open up a bit after the 70-minute mark. Jamshedpur substitute Mobashir Rahman’s volley from outside the box managed to worry NorthEast goalkeeper Pawan Kumar for the first time in the match. The shot, however, sailed inches over the bar.

The Highlanders have made it a habit of scoring late goals this season and it seemed the trend may continue when Ogbeche found space inside the Jamshedpur box on the 89th minute. The striker tried to bend one inside the far post. A backtracking Bikash Jairu managed to put a crucial block in to deny him.

It was the final piece of goalmouth action in the match as both sides settled for a point.

by Abhishek Shukla

Jamshedpur Football Club sign midfielder from ATK

Jamshedpur, November 30, 2018: Jamshedpur FC are ecstatic to announce that the club has completed the signing of 21-year-old midfielder, Malsawmzuala on loan from ATK. The youngster has penned a deal with the the Jharkhand-based side and is now available to feature for the club for the remainder of the Indian Super League 2018/19 season.

Starting his footballing journey with his local club, Chanmari FC in Mizoram, Malsawmzuala quickly climbed the ladder and impressed the scouts at Bengaluru FC. The youngster joined BFC in 2015 and instantly became a regular in the side.

Malsawmzuala made important contributions for the club in I-League and also in the AFC Cup. He made 15 appearances for the club and scored 1 goal; a 30-yard stunner against East Bengal in a crucial I-League encounter.
Malsawmzuala also has Indian Super League experience under his belt as the boy from Mizoram had joined Delhi Dynamos on loan in 2016. He made four appearances that season for the Dynamos and also scored a goal against FC Pune City.

The youngster joined ATK ahead of the ongoing season but has not been able to garner regular playing time in the Steve Coppell managed side. Malsawmzuala will now be hoping to kick-start his ISL journey with Jamshedpur FC.

Malsawmzuala has also represented India at the U-19 level and was previously included in the Indian senior team squad for the World Cup qualifiers in 2016 alongside his soon to be teammate, Sumeet Passi. The midfielder is touted as a huge talent and is predicted by many to become the Indian midfield mainstay for the years to come.

Malsawmzuala is a defensive midfielder that excels in breaking up play and helping his side win back possession. He is also comfortable when on the ball and has an ability to test the opponents with his long-range shooting. The youngster will surely play a key role in the ongoing season for Jamshedpur FC with his ability to destruct and dictate the game from the centre of the park.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: Chennaiyin, Kerala play out goalless draw

CHENNAI: Chennaiyin FC played out a goalless draw with Kerala Blasters in their Indian Super League clash on Thursday.

Chennaiyin were desperately in need of the maximum points, but they failed to make the home advantage count for them and can only rue their missed chances of which there were many in what was a tough game played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.

The result saw Chennaiyin remain on 9th place with 5 points from 9 matches while Kerala Blasters are on 7th position with 8 points.

Both teams started the game at a frantic pace in the hope of catching their opponents early on but to no avail.

Chennaiyin looked the more likely to open the scoring and almost did so in the 6th minute when Isaac Vanmalsawma crossed in from the left side to Andrea Orlandi inside the box but the Spaniard’s header went straight to keeper.

Jeje Lalpekhlua also came close to break the deadlock for the hosts in the 20th minute when Orlandi made his way into the box from the left flank and cut it back to Jeje who fired his shot off target.

Chennaiyin were attacking with zeal, precision and tenacity in the first-half. They were asking all sorts of questions to the Kerala Blasters defence and could have taken the lead on the 30-minute mark.

Orlandi floated a free-kick in from the left and Eli Sabia head it down for Thoi Singh to shot on goal. However, Dheeraj made fantastic diving save on his left to keep his side in the game.

Kerala Blasters created little in reply, with their only notable attacking effort of the first-half seeing Halicharan Narzary controlling a ball in the penalty area, but any hopes of getting away a shot were quickly crushed by Chennaiyin custodian Sanjiban Ghosh in the 38th minute.

Thereafter, neither side were able to create any further chances in the first-half with the score deadlocked 0-0 as the teams headed for the change room at the break.

The hosts visitors were better after the break, but continued to be frustrated by a disciplined Chennaiyin defense.

Keziron Kizito fored over the target six minutes into the second-half, while a short while after Sahal Abdul Samad saw his goal-bound effort stymied by Sanjiban.

At the other end, Raphael Augusto led a quick counter-attack, but his shot took a deflection and Dheeraj collected the ball with ease.

The embattled goalkeeper needed to make another top save shortly after the hour mark when a free-kick from Orlandi found Jeje who headed on target in the 71st minute.

Seiminlen Doungel should have netted the winner for Kerala Blasters in the 82nd minute when he received a lovely pass from Zakeer Mundampara and went one against one with Sanjiban, who produced a brilliant save to prevent his side from losing two points.

The remainder of the match was a frustrating time for Chennaiyin, who dominated play but were unable to find a way through Kerala Blasters’ resilient defense. Even the introduction of Carlos Salom and Anirudh Thapa off the bench didn’t help the hosts find the breakthrough.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: Cuadrat urges Bengaluru to keep momentum going

Bengaluru: In what is the first reverse fixture of the season for the Blues, Carles Cuadrat’s side take on FC Pune City at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Friday, with the intent to stretch their unbeaten start to the Indian Super League and further their lead on top of the table. Bengaluru FC, with 19 points from seven games, are two points clear of second-placed FC Goa on the standings, with Sergio Lobera’s side having played two games more.

“We are enjoying a good phase at the moment and it’s important that we keep it going. The first part of our target will be complete once we make the play-off stages, so I am not taking anything for granted until then,” he said, while addressing the media on the eve of the game.

It needed an 87th minute winner from Udanta Singh at the Fortress on Monday to beat Delhi Dynamos 1-0 and Cuadrat will be hoping that Friday’s fixture will see a marked improvement in the way his side go about things. Injuries and suspensions have thrown a spanner in the works for the Blues who have relied on resilience to pull them through.

In better news for the hosts, Dimas Delgado returns to the squad after serving a suspension and Erik Paartalu, who came on in the second half against Delhi, looks fit to start. The attack will however have their work cut out after Miku was ruled out till the end of the year owing to the ankle injury that kept him out for the last two games. “Miku will only be available in January now. He will be flying to Spain on Friday to further his treatment that requires him to take a few injections. It is an unfortunate situation given the kind of quality he brings to the team, but this is a chance for the others to stand up and be counted,” said Cuadrat.

While the midfield and attack have been operating rather seamlessly for most parts of the season, it is the Bengaluru defence that has been silently but surely making the biggest difference. The Blues back line have let in five goals in seven games, making them the side to conceded the least so far this season.

They will however face a potent threat in the Pune attack tonight. Iain Hume was handed his first start of the season in the 2-0 defeat to NorthEast United earlier this week and the highest goal scorer in the League’s history can be a handful when on song. In Brazilian Marcelinho and the impressive Ashique Kuruniyan, Pune possess the quality needed to come at Bengaluru.

However, coach Pradhyum Reddy – a former assistant coach at Bengaluru for three seasons – too has a key player missing in Brazilian Diego Carlos who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

While the Blues are on a five-game winning streak in the ISL, the Stallions come into this game with a not-so-ideal away record having last won on the road way back in February this year when they overcame Mumbai 2-0. Since then, they have drawn three times and lost four conceding 14 goals and scoring seven.

The game kicks off at 7.30 pm and will be telecast live across the STAR Sports network, HotStar, JioTV and Colors Kannada Cinema.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: ATK and Goa involved in end-to-end goalless stalemate

KOLKATA: ATK and FC Goa played out an enthralling goalless draw at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Goa started the half as the better of the two sides and should have really scored two goals within the first 15 minutes. Seriton Fernandes was awarded the first real chance in the seventh minute when he was slipped through by Jackichand Singh. The right-back though failed to direct his shot on target and hit the side-netting.

A few minutes later, Goa had an even better chance when Ahmed Jahouh delivered an inch perfect ball to the far post. Mourtada Fall ghosted behind the defence to win a free header, however, he could only find the side-netting – a real let off for ATK.

The hosts then spurned a few good chances themselves. Santos, who was ATK’s most threatening player of the first period almost broke the deadlock near the half-hour mark. A delicious pass from Jayesh Rane across the face of goal was flicked on by the Brazilian attacker. But Goa custodian Mohammad Nawaz stood firm to make a good stop.

ATK wold come closest to scoring in the 36th minute through Lanzarote. After some neat build up play from Santos and Gerson Vieira, the ball fell to the Spaniard inside the box. He chested it down before firing a shot, which narrowly missed the far post. That would prove to be the last notable piece of action of an end-to-end goalless half.

ATK started the second half on a bright note and created a neat opening in the 54th minute. Santos and Lanzarote were once again in the thick of the action, carving open the Goa defence with their fine running. This time Lanzarote laid the ball off to Rane, who took one touch before forcing a good stop from Nawaz.

A few minutes after the hour-mark, drama ensued as Goa felt hard done by when they were not awarded a penalty. Substitute Manvir showed incredible control and composure to beat ATK’s offside trap before creating space for a shot a goal. His effort was blocked by Bikey before being cleared off the line by John Johnson. The ball seemed to have hit Bikey on the arm, but the referee waved play on.

As the match reached its end, chances were few and far between as both sides seemed to settle for a point. Goa did have a glorious opportunity in the final minute though when Ferran Corominas demonstrated determination and skill to beat two defenders before delivering a cross for Edu Bedia. The midfielder, however, failed to direct his shot on target as the ball ran out of play.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: NorthEast United add to Pune City’s woes

PUNE: NorthEast United lifted themselves to second on the Indian Super League table with a 2-0 win over FC Pune City on Tuesday at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune.

Goals from Bartholomew Ogbeche (23′) and Juan Mascia (90+1′) secured the victory for the Highlanders, taking them two points adrift of leaders Bengaluru FC. While FC Pune City remain 8th on the table with 5 points.

The opening 10 minutes was a rather scrappy affair, with both teams unable to hold onto the ball long enough to create any decent scoring opportunities.

The first effort on goal only came in the 9th minute, when Ogbeche won the ball from a Pune defender on the left flank. The Nigerian had a chance to shoot by himself but decided to pass it to Mascia who tried to shoot but a defender blocked it away.

Three minutes later Pune City came bitterly close to taking the lead through Ashique Kuruniyan but his first time shot was superbly saved by the NorthEast custodian Pawan Kumar.

Pune City had another chance in the 16th minute when Iain Hume from the right-hand side nicely squared a pass to Marcelo Pereira who tried to round the defender but slipped and it has been cleared away.

NorthEast, thereafter, continued to press on, and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 23rd minute though Ogbeche. Federico Gallego crossed it flat from the corner. It went past everybody at the near post and fell to Ogbeche who chested it down and slotted into the far post.

From the goal onwards, NorthEast dominated the proceedings, but poor decision-making let them down in the final third which saw Eelco Schattorie’s charges went into the breather with only a solitary goal lead.

Pune City showed intent after the interval as they made more box entries in their quest to score the equaliser and the Stallions nearly found it at the hour mark when Mato Grgic’s long throw inside the box found Marko Stankovic who took a first time shot with his right foot only to be blocked by Gurwinder Singh.

Despite being under the pump, NorthEast managed three shots on goal but none of those were on target to test Kamalpreet Singh in goal for Pune City.

Pune City then continued to dominate proceedings but they were repeatedly frustrated by good defending.

Despite the momentum turning in Pune City’s favour, NorthEast managed to found the all-important insurance goal though Mascia who converted from the spot after Sahil Panwar clumsily tripped him inside the box and referee  pointed to the penalty spot.

Mascia took on the responsibility of the penalty and placed it nicely to the left of the keeper to secure a vital win for the Highlanders.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: Bengaluru dig deep to claim 1-0 win against Delhi Dynamos

Bengaluru: Udanta Singh fired home an 87th minute winner to light up the Fortress as Bengaluru FC beat Delhi Dynamos 1-0 to go three points clear on top of the table and keep the Blues’ unbeaten start to the Indian Super League, intact, at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Monday. Skipper Sunil Chhetri marked his 150th game in a BFC shirt as his side fought tooth and nail until the final whistle to get the better of a stubborn Delhi side.

Delhi could have gone ahead in the 30th minute if it hadn’t been for Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s making himself big to deny Lallianzuala Chhangte from a one-on-one situation. Encouraged by the threat they put the Bengaluru defence under, the visitors attacked with confidence and it needed more of Sandhu’s quality to keep them at bay.

Earlier, Cuadrat chose to start with a shape that seemed like a 4-4-2 with defender Rino Anto being handed his first start this season. With no Dimas Delgado (suspended), Nishu Kumar moved up on the left in midfield, while Chencho Gyeltshen had Chhetri for a partner in attack.

Bengaluru came close as soon as the half resumed when Udanta Singh played the perfect cut-back for Chhetri, but the skipper’s attempt to stroke the ball into the far corner was disappointing by his standards.

Sensing the need to shake things up a little, Cuadrat brought on Erik Paartalu for Rino Anto, prompting Nishu to return to his familiar position at left-back. A second change was made soon after with Semboi Haokip replacing Gyeltshen as the Blues began showing far more purpose than they did in the first half.

Delhi, who were keeping things at the back tight, lost possession after Haokip pressed Gianni Zuiverloon, stole the ball off the Dutchman and picked Udanta. The winger lobbed the ball over the defence to pick Xisco Hernandez’s run perfectly, only for the Spaniard to scuff his attempt on the volley.

With less than five minutes left on the clock, Semboi pressed Zuiverloon once again, this time in an attempt to find space to get a shot away but instead the ball bounced away from goal towards an incoming Udanta, who found himself in space. With time to compose himself, the winger sent a shot goalward that took the slightest of nicks off Marti Crespi before heading towards the bottom corner and shaking the net off the upright to send thousands of BFC fans into a frenzy.

Bengaluru will next face FC Pune City in their first reverse fixture of the League season, at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Friday.

by Abhishek Shukla

Bengaluru FC sign Eduardo Garcia; finalize squad for Indian Super League

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC completed their quota of foreign signings and finalized their squad for the upcoming season with the addition of Spanish winger Eduardo ‘Edu’ Garcia Martin, the club announced on Saturday. Having penned a one-year deal, Edu becomes the eighth overseas player and the fifth Spaniard in the squad for the Blues’ maiden season in the Indian Super League.

 

Head Coach Albert Roca welcomed his fellow countryman to the Blues’ fold and said, “Edu is an exciting young winger. His versatility down the flank will provide us with great options in terms of personnel as well as our game plan. He will be a great addition to our squad and fits in well with our philosophy.”

 

Twenty-seven-year-old Edu, who joins the Blues from Spanish side Real Zaragoza, shared his excitement ahead of his first overseas stint, “I’m very excited for joining the club. From the first time, I liked the idea of playing for Bengaluru’s team in the Indian Super League. Football in India is growing a lot and it’s an important challenge for me. I hope I can help the club to reach the objectives for the season. I can’t wait to start!”

 

Born in Zaragoza, Edu joined his home side Real Zaragoza’s youth setup in 2002, aged 12. He progressed through the ranks at the club before making his debut with the reserves during the 2009–10 campaign, in Tercera Division.

 

In 2012, Edu joined CD Ebro before moving to fellow league team SD Ejea the following season. In July 2014, he returned to Ebro and scored career-best 16 goals during his first season, helping his team gain promotion to Segunda Division B, before adding a further eight in his second season.

 

The winger then sealed a return to Real Zaragoza in at the start of the 2016-17 season and made 27 appearances for the Los Maños helping them finish 16th with 50 points in the Segunda Division.

by Abhishek Shukla

Bengaluru FC strengthen attack, sign Venezuela International Miku

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC have added more firepower to their frontline with the signing of Venezuelan International striker Nicolas ‘Miku’ Ladislao Fedor Flores ahead of their debut Indian Super League season, the club announced on Tuesday. The 32-year-old who signed a two-year deal, arrives to Bengaluru from Spanish side Rayo Vallecano with whom he spent the last two-and-a-half seasons.

The 6’ 1” attacker will team up with Spaniard Braulio Nobrega at the front and becomes the Blues’ seventh foreign signing for the season and the first ever South American player at the club.

Head Coach Albert Roca was delighted with the newest addition to the squad and said, “I’m extremely happy to have secured the services of Miku. He is an exciting player with some great skills and his playing style will help us a lot. Miku has played for several top clubs for a number of years now, and the experience he brings in will be very crucial for us this season.”

Having completed formalities, an excited Miku said, “I have heard a lot about the club and the city. We have some great players in the club who always fight for titles, so I hope it will be a good season for every one of us in Bengaluru. I spoke to Albert Roca about the club, the league and the team. He’s a very good and experienced coach and explained to me what he wants from me for this season. I can’t wait to join my teammates and begin training.”

Born in Caracas, Venezuela to a Hungarian father and a Venezuelan mother, Miku began his football career in Spanish powerhouse Valencia’s youth system. Turning professional in 2004 with the Mestella-side, the striker turned out for CD Alcoyano (2004-05, 2nd B), UD Salamanca (2005–06, 2nd B), Ciudad de Murcia (2006, 2nd), Valencia ‘B’ (2007, 2nd B), Gimnastic de Tarragona (2007–08, 2nd), UD Salamanca (2008–09, 2nd) in the Spanish league system. His highlight during this period was striking 18 goals in the promotion winning campaign at Salamanca during the 2005-06 Segunda ‘B’ season.

The striker returned back to parent club Valencia for the 2009-10 La Liga season, before moving in the heart of Spain to Getafe. His four-year spell with the Madrid-based club saw him amass 26 La Liga goals in 90-plus appearances. Miku also had short loan spell with Glasgow-based Celtic FC in 2012-13 where he won the Scottish League and Cup double.

 

The following season, the Venezuelan moved out of Europe for his first spell in Asia where he represented Al-Gharafa SC (2013-15) in the Qatar Stars League. In January 2015, Miku returned to Spain to join Rayo Vallecano, another Madrid-based club. The striker settled in quickly and began firing all guns blazing in the 2015-16 season. In February 2016, he became the first Venezuelan to score in four consecutive Spanish top flight matchdays, winning La Liga’s Player of the Month award. That season Miku netted nine times and assisted four goals in 22 appearances for Rayo in the La Liga finishing their joint second-highest top-scorer in the league.

At the continental level, Miku has represented Celtic in the UEFA Champions League while playing in the UEFA Europa League for Getafe and Valencia, also scoring a hattrick in the competition for the latter.

A full international since 2006, Miku has 51 caps for Venezuela and has scored 11 times, most notably against Brazil in the during the 2015 Copa America in Chile. The striker also helped his team to a fourth-place finish in the 2011 Copa America held in Argentina. Interestingly, the striker has already played in India as a part of the Venezuela team which faced Argentina in an International Friendly in Kolkata back in September 2011.

For the record, Miku is the fifth-highest (joint) goalscorer for the Venezuelan national team and is 23rd (joint) in the list of most caps for his country.

by Abhishek Shukla

FC Pune City snap ISL Golden Boot Winner Marcelinho

Pune, 21 August 2017: – Strengthening their squad further, the Rajesh Wadhawan Group owned Indian Super League club FC Pune City today secured the services of 2016 Indian Super League golden boot winner Marcelo Leite Pereira a.k.a. Marcelinho. The Brazilian winger who has plied his trade in Spain, Greece & Italy represented Delhi Dynamos FC last season. In his 15 appearances, the South American scored 10 goals and made five assists.

 

FC Pune City CEO Gaurav Modwel was excited on the new addition to his team. “Marcelinhohas a great appetite for scoring and caused some serious damage to other teams’ defence in ISL last season. He is a busy player on the pitch, always in the thick of things – setting the pace, assisting and finding the back of the net. I know our fans really wanted him to don the FC Pune City jersey! Welcome Marcelinho.”

In his career spanning almost a decade, Marcelinho has represented Atletico Madrid B, Getafe B, Greek clubs like Skoda Xanthi F.C., Atromitos Athens, Kalamataamong others.

Head coach Antonio Habas said, “Marcelinho is one of the most accomplished attackers we have seen in Indian Super League. He has the versatility to play on wings as well as in front of the net along with great pace to match his abilities. These qualities will be of great help to the team and hope we can achieve results that we aim for in the coming season.”

On donning the orange and purple, Marcelinho said. “It’s exciting times ahead as I join FC Pune City. Antonio Habas is a great coach to work with and his vision for the club is something that got me excited. I will give my 100 % and ensure my stint with FC Pune City gives the Orange Army many reasons to celebrate.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Bengaluru FC sign India’s no.1 Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

Bengaluru FC have completed a major signing for the 2017-18 campaign, roping in Indian National team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu from Norwegian side Stabaek FC for an undisclosed transfer amount, the club announced on Thursday.

While securing the services of India’s No.1 goalkeeper, the Blues have also completed the official paperwork in time for him to be part of the 2017 AFC Cup campaign. The lad from Chandigarh will be available for selection for the home leg of the crucial Inter-Zonal semifinal against North Korean side April 25 SC on August 23.

Gurpreet who completed formalities on a one-year deal on Wednesday night, becomes the first Indian player to be signed from a European club by an Indian club in a move involving a transfer fee.
The ’keeper, who arrived in Bengaluru on Thursday, was ecstatic ahead of the newest chapter in his career. “I’m extremely delighted to have signed for Bengaluru FC. While the experience of playing in Europe was fantastic, lack of game time was an important factor in making the decision of moving back to India. I had an offer from another top-flight club in Europe, but the need to play regularly ahead of the AFC Asian Cup in 2019 was something that was on my mind.”

“The fact that Bengaluru FC was interested in me was encouraging considering what they have achieved over the last few years. With BFC playing on the continental level this season as well as the next one will provide the perfect platform for me,” he added.

Club CEO Parth Jindal was pleased with the Blues’ latest acquisition. “It’s a matter of pride that Gurpreet has chosen to play for BFC. For us, he as big as an European signing. His presence and leadership will add immense stability to the team. While he is with us we will provide him with all the support he needs to be back among Europe’s elite.”

Having already played in front of the Blues’ faithful on a number of occasions while representing India, Gurpreet is eager to take the field at the Fortress. “The fans here are fantastic. The atmosphere we had at the Kanteerava was unbelievable and probably one of the best I’ve seen. I’m now excited to be playing in front of them on a regular basis and hope we can achieve something special.”

Turning pro in 2010 where he had a brief loan spell with AIFF’s developmental side Pailan Arrows (2010-11), Gurpreet returned to East Bengal, going on to become the first-choice custodian in the latter part of his three-year spell. At East Bengal, Gurpreet won the 2012 Federation Cup apart from topping the Calcutta Football League on numerous occasions.

Standing tall at 6’ 4”, Gurpreet moved to Europe as a 22-year-old, signing for Norwegian club Stabaek in August 2014 where he featured in a number of cup games, including the entire 2016 Cup run. He eventually made his League debut in May 2016 in an away match against IK Start, and in the process, became the first Indian footballer to play in a European top division league. In June 2016, the Punjabi lad put another feather in his cap, becoming the first Indian footballer to feature in a UEFA Europa League match by playing against Welsh side Connah’s Quay Nomads FC in the competition’s qualifiers.

Having represented India (U19 & U22) numerous times at the youth level, Gurpreet was called up to the senior national team for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, and made his debut couple months later in the AFC Challenge Cup. After playing second fiddle to Subrata Paul, Gurpreet finally cemented his position as India’s number one during the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers while even skippering the side on a few occasionn.

by Abhishek Shukla

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu leaves his Norwegian club Stabæk, will come to india

As per reports in Norwegian website www.budstikka.no, Indian star Goalkeeper has left Stabæk. It also added that he is leaving the club as he is not getting proper playing time with the club.

 

Report translate in English:

At the same time it is clear that Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu leaves Stabæk. The Indian has struggled with playing time since joining Stabæk in 2014, leaving the club for the benefit of Indian football.
Singh has been a good person to have in the club, and has developed a lot in time in Stabæk. Now he has made a club change which I think will be good for him, “said Ordinas, the goalkeeper who had a contract with Stabæk in the season.

In one tweet Sports journalist Jonas Giæver from Oslo, Norway  claims that Gurpreet Singh Sandhu will return to India.