Category: Football

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Durand Cup: DSK Shivajians FC expect a tough Indian Navy encounter

1st September 2016 – Delhi, India – Group leaders DSK Shivajians FC will be up against Indian Navy in a unique first when they square off against the unbeaten defence side in the 128th Durand Cup at the Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi, on Friday.

A victory for the Pune-based club will cement their position at the top of the table in Group A and significantly increase the chances of progressing to the semi-finals.

Playing the tournament for the first time, DSK Shivajians has so far registered two wins out of two. They began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Sporting Clube de Goa with first half goals from Rohit Kumar and new signing Kim Song Yong ensuring three points in what was a historic first win for the club. The Pune-based club won their second match against Gangtok Himalayan with a similar scoreline, only, this time, it was Rohit Kumar grabbing a first-half brace.

On the other hand, Indian Navy, one of the four defence teams in the completion, has two points from their first two matches, having drawn both. They got their Durand Cup campaign underway with a 1-1 draw against Sporting Clube de Goa.  Following that, they started their encounter brightly against Army Green, the other defence unit in Group-A, only for the latter to equalise in the second half, and hence, shared spoils.

The two clubs will be no strangers to each other, having met each other in the Abhijeet Kadam Football Tournament at Bharatiya Vidyapeeth in Pune, where Indian Navy came out on top. However, a lot has changed at DSK Shivajians Football Club since then, with the club making the jump to I-League and is a much stronger unit that the Navy team would need to match.

Rohit Kumar, who has scored three goals in the opening two matches of Durand Cup, will be hoping to carry on his fine form in front of the goal. On the other hand, Juan Quero is expected to take back the captain’s armband after being rested for the last match. Biaklian Paite is also scheduled to start the game after his impressive all-round showing in the last encounter.

DSK Shivajians will be without Gagandeep Singh, who sustained an ankle injury in the first half of the match against Gangtok Himalayan SC.  Adding up to the worries is the fact that two players, Vanlalremkima and Arif Shaikh have picked up a booking each in the last match.

Dave Rogers, First Team Manager of DSK Shivajians FC, discussing Friday’s match, said: “We will go out and try to win the game in a positive manner, as we do with every game. But, in football, nothing is guaranteed. So, we know it is going to be tough and if we want the three points, then we will have to be at our best. There are no easy games in this tournament, and we will treat Indian Navy with the utmost respect like we treat every team.”

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CFL: Bagan looks for a improved performance against United SC

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan will be keen to get their Calcutta Premier Division – A campaign back on track when they take on United Sports Club tomorrow at Mohun Bagan Ground.

Having started the season with a lot of promise, Mohun Bagan have lost the plot midway as they were held golless by Peerless SC and the recent controversy that occurred in their last game against Tollygunge Agragami over three dissallowed goals which saw the game abandoned on Monday, have affected team’s morale.

However, Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty knows it very well that a win against United SC can prove to be crucial for his side at this critical juncture to rebuild confidence and come out of the recent slump phase, thus the gaffer strictly advised players to only concentrate on the task at hand.

“We are not thinking about thing which are beyond our control. What we can do is give our best and I have full faith in my team and they are fully capable of a comeback,” coach Sankarlal said.

Playing in front of home fans should be the morale booster for The Mariners, but the likes of Darryl Duffy and Daniel Bidemi will have to pull up their socks or else Bagan could find themselves out of title contention.

“It is not that we are playing bad to drop points, but rather our boys are not able to capitalize on chances that came their way. I hope they won’t repeat the same mistakes and put up a improved performance tomorrow,” Sankarlal added.

United SC, on the other hand, did not had ideal start as they lost four games back-to-back which led to their coach Subrata Bhattacharya’s premature resignation from the team. However, change in team management brought luck for The Purple Brigade as they recovered under new caoch Partha Sen with successive victories over George Telegraph and Bhawanipore.

Facing Mohun Bagan, United SC will rely on league’s top scorer Suhair V.P. and Eric Brown for goals upfront. Joining them will be the likes Budhiram Tudu, Sankar Oraon and Manotosh Chakladar who will hold the key in midfield while the experienced Bello Rasaq will lead the back-line with Sangram Mukherjee standing under the frame.

“United SC will be a tough opponent. They have a good blend of youth and experience but with all said and done we don’t have any other option except win and we are going all out to achieve that.” Sankarlal concluded.

The game at Mohun Bagan Ground kicks off at 5.30 pm on Friday and it will be televised live on ETV News Bangla.

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CFL: Dong’s goal helps East Bengal sink George Telegraph

BARASAT: East Bengal managed to squeeze past George Telegraph SC by a solitary goal victory in their CFL Premier Division – A encounter at Barasat Stadium on Thursday.

The all-important goal came in the 74th minute through Do Dong Hyun, which ultimately turned out to be the match winner and helped East Bengal to consolidate their position at the top of the CFL standings with 21 points from seven games.

Going into the game East Bengal coach Trevor Morgan made three forced changes into the starting XI from the previous match as Gurwinder Singh, Prohlad Roy and Abinash Ruidas came into the side at the expense of Arnab Mondal, Mohammed Rafique and Bikash Jairu, who are on national duty.

The game started with a slow pace restricting the action to the midfield in the initial quarter of the game. However, East Bengal seemed more determined to wrap up the match in their favour and record their seventh successive win in the league.

As the game progressed, East Bengal gradually gained control and dominated the possession. George Telegraph, on the other hand, defended deep and had their keeper SK. Maidul Islam to thank after he denied Jiten Murmu, Ruidas and Dong on several occasions as both sides went into the breather locked scoreless.

Needing a goal, East Bengal began the second half  with added enthusiasm as they attacked by pushing high up, but Maidul once again came to his side’s rescue in the 58th minute when he saved Lalrindika Ralte’s long range effort.

The young keeper was well complemented by midfielder John Apmong as the Ghanaian single handedly blocked some of brilliants movements of the rival team.

East Bengal, thereafter, pressed hard looking for the opener. East Bengal’s effort finally paid off when Dong broke the deadlock in the 74th minute.

Skipper Robert Lalthlamuana combined with Lalrindika to deliver a cross inside the George Telegraph box and the later laid it for Dong, who sollted past Maidul to put his team ahead.

Having taken the lead, The Red and Golds got a much needed confidence boost and they increased their pressure up front dominating the game entirely. Despite creating numerous scoring opportunities in the final quarter, once again it was lack of finishing that prevented a bigger scoreline as the game ended 1-0 in East Bengal’s favour.

East Bengal XI: Dibyendu Sarkar (GK), Rahul Bheke, Gurwinder Singh, Callum Angus, Robert Lalthalmuana (c), Prohlad Roy (Samad Ali Mallick – 60′), Mehtab Hossein, Lalrindika Ralte, Abinash Ruidas (Nikhil Poojary – 85′), Dong Hyun Do (Somide Adelaja – 93′), Jiten Murmu.

by Abhishek Shukla

Durand Cup: DSK Shivajians FC expect a tough Indian Navy encounter

 

1st September 2016 – Delhi, India – Group leaders DSK Shivajians FC will be up against Indian Navy in a unique first when they square off against the unbeaten defence side in the 128th Durand Cup at the Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi, on Friday.

A victory for the Pune-based club will cement their position at the top of the table in Group A and significantly increase the chances of progressing to the semi-finals.

Playing the tournament for the first time, DSK Shivajians has so far registered two wins out of two. They began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Sporting Clube de Goa with first half goals from Rohit Kumar and new signing Kim Song Yong ensuring three points in what was a historic first win for the club. The Pune-based club won their second match against Gangtok Himalayan with a similar scoreline, only, this time, it was Rohit Kumar grabbing a first-half brace.

On the other hand, Indian Navy, one of the four defence teams in the completion, has two points from their first two matches, having drawn both. They got their Durand Cup campaign underway with a 1-1 draw against Sporting Clube de Goa.  Following that, they started their encounter brightly against Army Green, the other defence unit in Group-A, only for the latter to equalise in the second half, and hence, shared spoils.

The two clubs will be no strangers to each other, having met each other in the Abhijeet Kadam Football Tournament at Bharatiya Vidyapeeth in Pune, where Indian Navy came out on top. However, a lot has changed at DSK Shivajians Football Club since then, with the club making the jump to I-League and is a much stronger unit that the Navy team would need to match.

Rohit Kumar, who has scored three goals in the opening two matches of Durand Cup, will be hoping to carry on his fine form in front of the goal. On the other hand, Juan Quero is expected to take back the captain’s armband after being rested for the last match. Biaklian Paite is also scheduled to start the game after his impressive all-round showing in the last encounter.

DSK Shivajians will be without Gagandeep Singh, who sustained an ankle injury in the first half of the match against Gangtok Himalayan SC.  Adding up to the worries is the fact that two players, Vanlalremkima and Arif Shaikh have picked up a booking each in the last match.

Dave Rogers, First Team Manager of DSK Shivajians FC, discussing Friday’s match, said: “We will go out and try to win the game in a positive manner, as we do with every game. But, in football, nothing is guaranteed. So, we know it is going to be tough and if we want the three points, then we will have to be at our best. There are no easy games in this tournament, and we will treat Indian Navy with the utmost respect like we treat every team.”

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Bagan looks for a improved performance against United SC

By Ajay Majumder

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan will be keen to get their Calcutta Premier Division – A campaign back on track when they take on United Sports Club tomorrow at Mohun Bagan Ground.

Having started the season with a lot of promise, Mohun Bagan have lost the plot midway as they were held golless by Peerless SC and the recent controversy that occurred in their last game against Tollygunge Agragami over three dissallowed goals which saw the game abandoned on Monday, have affected team’s morale.

However, Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty knows it very well that a win against United SC can prove to be crucial for his side at this critical juncture to rebuild confidence and come out of the recent slump phase, thus the gaffer strictly advised players to only concentrate on the task at hand.

“We are not thinking about thing which are beyond our control. What we can do is give our best and I have full faith in my team and they are fully capable of a comeback,” coach Sankarlal said.

Playing in front of home fans should be the morale booster for The Mariners, but the likes of  Darryl Duffy and Daniel Bidemi will have to pull up their socks or else Bagan could find themselves out of title contention.

“It is not that we are playing bad to drop points, but rather our boys are not able to capitalize on chances that came their way. I hope they won’t repeat the same mistakes  and put up a improved performance tomorrow,” Sankarlal added.

United SC, on the other hand, did not had ideal start as they lost four games back-to-back which led to their coach Subrata Bhattacharya’s premature resignation from the team. However, change in team management brought luck for The Purple Brigade as they recovered under new caoch Partha Sen with successive victories over George Telegraph and Bhawanipore.

Facing Mohun Bagan, United SC will rely on league’s top scorer Suhair V.P. and Eric Brown for goals upfront. Joining them will be the likes Budhiram Tudu, Sankar Oraon and Manotosh Chakladar who will hold the key in midfield while the experienced Bello Rasaq will lead the back-line with Sangram Mukherjee standing under the frame.

“United SC will be a tough opponent. They have a good blend of youth and experience but with all said and done we don’t have any other option except win and we are going all out to achieve that.”  Sankarlal concluded.

The game at Mohun Bagan Ground kicks off at 5.30 pm on Friday and it will be televised live on ETV News Bangla.

by Abhishek Shukla

Durand Cup: ARMY GREEN STUN SPORTING CLUBE DE GOA

Sporting Clube de Goa’s chances to progress in the Durand Cup 2016 was handed a major blow when they went down 2 – 1 in a key encounter against Army Green. Peecee (53′ (P) & 57′) scored both the goals for Army Green while Marcus Mascarenhas (83′) headed in a late consolation goal for Sporting.
The first half witnessed very little action. Both teams resorted to a compact defense giving no space for the opponent forwards to operate. Sporting playing with a 4 – 1 – 4 – 1 formation managed to dominate most of the first half. The midfield combination of Glan Martins & Cajetan Fernandes completed numerous passes contributing a lion share of the possession. Marcus Mascarenhas and Ganesh Thakur made some good runs on either flanks trying to penetrate the Army Green defense and finding their hit man Victorino Fernandes. The Army Green’s defense also had an exceptional day on the pitch clearing almost all of Sportings attempts to reach the nets. The best opportunity of the first half came n the 43rd minute when Victorino beat the off-side trap successfully and made a dash coming head on against the keeper but placed the ball inches wide. The first half ended goalless.
The second half saw Army Green step up the offence. Their attacking play opened up spaces in the Sporting defense allowing their forwards to get into the box. In the 53rd minute Army Green won a penalty after a shot hit Loveday Enyinnaya’s arm. The penalty was converted by Peecee (Jersey No 9). Within 5 minutes Peecee came back to haunt Sporting defense when he found himself at the end of a brilliant cross from the left tapping it in to double the lead for Army Green. The following quarter saw a desperate Sporting throw everything they had trying to sneak one in but Army Green had shut shop with a well organised backline. Late in the 83rd minute Sporting won a free kick which was delivered well by Cajetan Fernandes to find Marcus who slotted a header giving some hope to the Goan side, but a resilient Army defense killed any further chances being created neatly to see off the clock.
by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Dong’s goal helps East Bengal sink George Telegraph

Photo and Report By Ajay Majumder

BARASAT: East Bengal managed to squeeze past George Telegraph SC by a solitary goal victory in their CFL Premier Division – A encounter at Barasat Stadium on Thursday.

The all-important goal came in the 74th minute through Do Dong Hyun, which ultimately turned out to be the match winner and helped East Bengal to consolidate their position at the top of the CFL standings with 21 points from seven games.

Going into the game East Bengal coach Trevor Morgan made three forced changes into the starting XI from the previous match as Gurwinder Singh, Prohlad Roy and Abinash Ruidas came into the side at the expense of Arnab Mondal, Mohammed Rafique and Bikash Jairu, who are on national duty.

The game started with a slow pace restricting the action to the midfield in the initial quarter of the game. However, East Bengal seemed more determined to wrap up the match in their favour and record their seventh successive win in the league.

As the game progressed, East Bengal gradually gained control and dominated the possession. George Telegraph, on the other hand, defended deep and had their keeper SK. Maidul Islam to thank after he denied Jiten Murmu, Ruidas and Dong on several occasions as both sides went into the breather locked scoreless.

Needing a goal, East Bengal began the second half  with added enthusiasm as they attacked by pushing high up, but Maidul once again came to his side’s rescue in the 58th minute when he saved Lalrindika Ralte’s long range effort.

The young keeper was well complemented by midfielder John Apmong as the Ghanaian single handedly blocked some of brilliants movements of the rival team.

East Bengal, thereafter, pressed hard looking for the opener. East Bengal’s effort finally paid off when Dong broke the deadlock in the 74th minute.

Skipper Robert Lalthlamuana combined with Lalrindika to deliver a cross inside the George Telegraph box and the later laid it for Dong, who sollted past Maidul to put his team ahead.

Having taken the lead, The Red and Golds got a much needed confidence boost and they increased their pressure up front dominating the game entirely. Despite creating numerous scoring opportunities in the final quarter, once again it was lack of finishing that prevented a bigger scoreline as the game ended 1-0 in East Bengal’s favour.

East Bengal XI: Dibyendu Sarkar (GK), Rahul Bheke, Gurwinder Singh, Callum Angus, Robert Lalthalmuana (c), Prohlad Roy (Samad Ali Mallick – 60′), Mehtab Hossein, Lalrindika Ralte, Abinash Ruidas (Nikhil Poojary – 85′), Dong Hyun Do (Somide Adelaja – 93′), Jiten Murmu.

by Abhishek Shukla

Durand Cup: Army Green stun SC de Goa 2-1

Delhi: Sporting Clube de Goa’s chances to progress in the Durand Cup 2016 was handed a major blow when they went down 2 – 1 in a key encounter against Army Green. Peecee (53′ (P) & 57′) scored both the goals for Army Green while Marcus Mascarenhas (83′) headed in a late consolation goal for Sporting.

The first half witnessed very little action. Both teams resorted to a compact defense giving no space for the opponent forwards to operate. Sporting playing with a 4 – 1 – 4 – 1 formation managed to dominate most of the first half. The midfield combination of Glan Martins & Cajetan Fernandes completed numerous passes contributing a lion share of the possession. Marcus Mascarenhas and Ganesh Thakur made some good runs on either flanks trying to penetrate the Army Green defense and finding their hit man Victorino Fernandes. The Army Green’s defense also had an exceptional day on the pitch clearing almost all of Sportings attempts to reach the nets. The best opportunity of the first half came n the 43rd minute when Victorino beat the off-side trap successfully and made a dash coming head on against the keeper but placed the ball inches wide. The first half ended goalless.

The second half saw Army Green step up the offence. Their attacking play opened up spaces in the Sporting defense allowing their forwards to get into the box. In the 53rd minute Army Green won a penalty after a shot hit Loveday Enyinnaya’s arm. The penalty was converted by Peecee (Jersey No 9). Within 5 minutes Peecee came back to haunt Sporting defense when he found himself at the end of a brilliant cross from the left tapping it in to double the lead for Army Green. The following quarter saw a desperate Sporting throw everything they had trying to sneak one in but Army Green had shut shop with a well organised backline. Late in the 83rd minute Sporting won a free kick which was delivered well by Cajetan Fernandes to find Marcus who slotted a header giving some hope to the Goan side, but a resilient Army defense killed any further chances being created neatly to see off the clock.

by Abhishek Shukla

Durand Cup:10 MEN MINERVA GO DOWN FIGHTING TO INDIAN NAVY

Minerva Academy FC suffered yet another defeat to a high flying Indian Navy team in its second game at the Durand Cup 2016 at Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi. The Chandigarh based team made 5 changes to its Line up from its previous encounter against Himalyan Gangtok FC, bringing in experienced Gagandeep Singh in the back four to replace Jermanjit who is serving suspension after picking up a red card in the first match. Girik Khosla made way for former India International Clifford Miranda and Midfielder Jaison Vales was replaced by former Dempo SC midfielder Steven Fernandes. U-19 India International Moinuddin started and Guam International Marcus Lopez made his debut in India replacing nigerian striker Victor Amboi.
Indian Navy had the first move in the game with Minerva’s Liberian defender Korhena heading out the danger. The next move saw Marcus swifting past two Indian Navy defenders only for the Indian Navy custodian to flick his shot out. The game continued with fast pace for quite sometime with Minerva dominating the show for the first 20 minutes or so. Indian Navy however managed to settle down and started sharing equal amount of ball possession. Minerva created numerous dangerous attacks in its hunt for a opening goal but forwards, Manandeep and Marcus could not get the ball past the line.
Jersey no. 30 of Indian Navy produced a number of good crosses from the left wing to his fellow strikers but they could not make much of it. In the 30th minute Minerva’s striker Manandeep Singh got the spectators at the edge of their seats when his powerful volley from a 10 yards outside the box narrowly missed the woodwork. Expectations were high from Manandeep (ISL- Kerala Basters fame) but he disappointed by picking up a yellow card in the 32nd minute for pushing and exchanging words with an Indian Navy defender right under the referee’s nose.
The next couple of minutes left the Minervans stunned and the spectators baffled as Minerva conceded two quick goals within a span of 10 minutes shattering the hopes of men in blue from chandigarh. The final nail in the coffin was in the 43rd Minute when Indian Navy scored again, this time from a free kick giving them a upper hand in the game just at the Half-Time and making them the clear favourites in this encounter. The score was 3-0 at half time in Navy’s favour.
The 2nd half saw a couple of substitutions for Minerva as Midfielder Jackson made way for the more experienced  Jaison Vales and Steven Fernandes was replaced by Arshdeep Singh. A couple of minutes later striker Marcus too was substituted by Nigerian forward Victor Amboi. Minerva suffered another major blow in the 60th minute when striker Manandeep Singh was booked again for a harsh tackle and got the marching orders. He will remain suspended from Minerva’s next game also. Minerva AFC were left with 10 men and had no chance of catching up to the 3-0 scoreline, however they managed to hold together their defence and did not concede any more goals in the 2nd half despite being a man down. The match ended with final score of 3-0 in favour of Indian Navy.
The loss caused another major dent to Minerva Academy FC’s Durand Cup final round hopes. Minerva ended up at the bottom of the table for their pool with two matches played but could make a comeback if they win upcoming games.
Minerva next take on Army Green at 4.30 PM at Harbaksh Stadium, New Delhi.
by Abhishek Shukla

Durand Cup:10 MEN MINERVA GO DOWN FIGHTING TO INDIAN NAVY

Minerva Academy FC suffered yet another defeat to a high flying Indian Navy team in its second game at the Durand Cup 2016 at Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi. The Chandigarh based team made 5 changes to its Line up from its previous encounter against Himalyan Gangtok FC, bringing in experienced Gagandeep Singh in the back four to replace Jermanjit who is serving suspension after picking up a red card in the first match. Girik Khosla made way for former India International Clifford Miranda and Midfielder Jaison Vales was replaced by former Dempo SC midfielder Steven Fernandes. U-19 India International Moinuddin started and Guam International Marcus Lopez made his debut in India replacing nigerian striker Victor Amboi.
Indian Navy had the first move in the game with Minerva’s Liberian defender Korhena heading out the danger. The next move saw Marcus swifting past two Indian Navy defenders only for the Indian Navy custodian to flick his shot out. The game continued with fast pace for quite sometime with Minerva dominating the show for the first 20 minutes or so. Indian Navy however managed to settle down and started sharing equal amount of ball possession. Minerva created numerous dangerous attacks in its hunt for a opening goal but forwards, Manandeep and Marcus could not get the ball past the line.
Jersey no. 30 of Indian Navy produced a number of good crosses from the left wing to his fellow strikers but they could not make much of it. In the 30th minute Minerva’s striker Manandeep Singh got the spectators at the edge of their seats when his powerful volley from a 10 yards outside the box narrowly missed the woodwork. Expectations were high from Manandeep (ISL- Kerala Basters fame) but he disappointed by picking up a yellow card in the 32nd minute for pushing and exchanging words with an Indian Navy defender right under the referee’s nose.
The next couple of minutes left the Minervans stunned and the spectators baffled as Minerva conceded two quick goals within a span of 10 minutes shattering the hopes of men in blue from chandigarh. The final nail in the coffin was in the 43rd Minute when Indian Navy scored again, this time from a free kick giving them a upper hand in the game just at the Half-Time and making them the clear favourites in this encounter. The score was 3-0 at half time in Navy’s favour.
The 2nd half saw a couple of substitutions for Minerva as Midfielder Jackson made way for the more experienced  Jaison Vales and Steven Fernandes was replaced by Arshdeep Singh. A couple of minutes later striker Marcus too was substituted by Nigerian forward Victor Amboi. Minerva suffered another major blow in the 60th minute when striker Manandeep Singh was booked again for a harsh tackle and got the marching orders. He will remain suspended from Minerva’s next game also. Minerva AFC were left with 10 men and had no chance of catching up to the 3-0 scoreline, however they managed to hold together their defence and did not concede any more goals in the 2nd half despite being a man down. The match ended with final score of 3-0 in favour of Indian Navy.
The loss caused another major dent to Minerva Academy FC’s Durand Cup final round hopes. Minerva ended up at the bottom of the table for their pool with two matches played but could make a comeback if they win upcoming games.
Minerva next take on Army Green at 4.30 PM at Harbaksh Stadium, New Delhi.
by Abhishek Shukla

SPORTING TAKE ON ARMY GREEN IN A KEY ENCOUNTER

Sporting Clube de Goa will take on Army Green in their third fixture of Durand Cup 2016 at Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi. Sporting have collected one point from the two matches played and will be hoping pocket full points from the upcoming matches.

Sporting Gaffer speaking to the media said “The ground conditions are very much different here, but we have to make the most of what we have.”
He further added “The boys have been playing some good attacking football, the first match was a narrow loss. The second match we threw away from very good position.” He went on “We have evaluated our mistakes and will make sure that doesn’t happen again. The boys needed sometime to adjust to this conditions and we are hoping we can play to our potential on Thursday.”
Speaking about their chances to progress in the tournament Mateus Costa said “See we would like to focus on this match right now, definitely there is a good chance to progress but we will take one match at a time, stick to our basics. Its simple we have to get maximum points from the remaining matches, our progress is still in our hands.”
Sporting Durand tour however has been injury ridden, losing two of their star players in the opening two matches. The first match saw Seriton Fernandes taken off with a head injury while next match saw the Captain Joyner Lourenco taken off early i the first half with a dislocated shoulder. On the positive note Sporting will be happy with the performance of their striker Victorino Fernandes and defender Loveday Enyinnaya who has been exceptional at the back.
GROUP A STANDINGS– DSK lead the group with 6 points beating Sporting (2-1) & Gangtok Himalyan (2-1), Gangtok Himalyan are placed second with one win against Minerva FC (2 -0) and one loss against DSK, Indian Navy who drew both their matches with a score line of 1 – 1 (Against Sporting & Army Green) are placed third with 2 points while Army Green and Sporting are on fourth and fifth position respectively with a point each, Minerva FC are at the bottom and yet to open their account.
by Abhishek Shukla

FC Goa fans expectations from Season 3

Panaji, 31th August 2016: With the FC Goa squad away for pre-season training in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, fans in Goa are gearing up for the third edition of the Hero Indian Super League. Vehicles and houses have already been decorated in preparation for the mega event.

With head coach Zico opting to retain the spine of his team with defensive powerhouses Gregory Arnolin and Lucio, Goan wingers Mandar Rao Dessai and Romeo Fernandes and strikers Rafael Coelho and Reinaldo Oliveira, consistency seems to be the focus. Additionally, with good facilities available at Zico's academy in Brazil, the team will hope to gel better and come back stronger.

Fans across the state seem to be happy with the business done by the club so far. The FC Goa Fan Club comes out in large numbers for every home game and lends their voice to a chorus of chants at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda. Members of the fan club have hoped that the team can go all the way this year. Omkar H, from the Fan Club hopes that the team can maintain the same consistency even with the change of ownership. He says, "Last year we reached the finals. This year, the owners have changed. I hope that doesn't have an impact on the team. However, this year we also have much better Goan players.

Therefore, expectations from this team are very high. Expect them to make the semi-finals in the least."

Dominic from the Fan Club also expects the team to go all the way this year. He had high praise for striker Rafael Coelho and expects the Brazilian to top the scoring charts if he remains fit. Talking about the team having its pre-season in Brazil, he said, "It will be an added advantage if Zico can arrange for some good quality opposition." However, he spoke about the average age of the squad which he felt is too high. "The fact that the same players have signed again for the club is great. But I feel we should have looked at younger players to bring down the average age of the squad," he added.

Savio Pereira, another ardent fan of the club hopes the team is third time lucky after runs to the semi-finals and then the finals. "By retaining Zico and a number of our old players, the team will surely have a better understanding this year. With the new signings, the team this year looks stronger than it has ever been. I hope we are third time lucky and go on and win the ISL," he said.

Elroy Figueiredo, another FC Goa fan based in Mangalore felt that the chemistry between players would only improve this year. "In a tournament like the ISL, players constantly switch between clubs unlike at European clubs. Therefore, it is refreshing to see that FC Goa has stuck to what clearly worked last season and kept the spine of the team intact," he said.

He also noted that the squad was filled with three Indian goalkeepers which would give Zico the luxury of playing an extra foreigner further up the pitch. "I definitely expect the team to be strong contenders for the title again this year. If players can be kept fit, they will surely make it through to the semi-finals. Let's just hope they go a step further this year," he added.

Fans from all over the state will once more throng Fatorda o get behind their team when the Gaurs take on Pune City FC in their first home match on October 8th.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL: FC Goa fans expectations from Season 3

Panaji, 31th August 2016: With the FC Goa squad away for pre-season training in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, fans in Goa are gearing up for the third edition of the Hero Indian Super League. Vehicles and houses have already been decorated in preparation for the mega event.

With head coach Zico opting to retain the spine of his team with defensive powerhouses Gregory Arnolin and Lucio, Goan wingers Mandar Rao Dessai and Romeo Fernandes and strikers Rafael Coelho and Reinaldo Oliveira, consistency seems to be the focus.

Additionally, with good facilities available at Zico’s academy in Brazil, the team will hope to gel better and come back stronger. Fans across the state seem to be happy with the business done by the club so far. The FC Goa Fan Club comes out in large numbers for every home game and lends their voice to a chorus of chants at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda. Members of the fan club have hoped that the team can go all the way this year. Omkar H, from the Fan Club hopes that the team can maintain the same consistency even with the change of ownership. He says, “Last year we reached the finals. This year, the owners have changed. I hope that doesnt have an impact on the team. However, this year we also have much better Goan players”.

Therefore, expectations from this team are very high. Expect them to make the semi-finals in the least.

Dominic from the Fan Club also expects the team to go all the way this year. He had high praise for striker Rafael Coelho and expects the Brazilian to top the scoring charts if he remains fit. Talking about the team having its pre-season in Brazil, he said, "It will be an added advantage if Zico can arrange for some good quality opposition." However, he spoke about the average age of the squad which he felt is too high. "The fact that the same players have signed again for the club is great. But I feel we should have looked at younger players to bring down the average age of the squad," he added.

Savio Pereira, another ardent fan of the club hopes the team is third time lucky after runs to the semi-finals and then the finals. "By retaining Zico and a number of our old players, the team will surely have a better understanding this year. With the new signings, the team this year looks stronger than it has ever been. I hope we are third time lucky and go on and win the ISL," he said.

Elroy Figueiredo, another FC Goa fan based in Mangalore felt that the chemistry between players would only improve this year. "In a tournament like the ISL, players constantly switch between clubs unlike at European clubs. Therefore, it is refreshing to see that FC Goa has stuck to what clearly worked last season and kept the spine of the team intact," he said.

He also noted that the squad was filled with three Indian goalkeepers which would give Zico the luxury of playing an extra foreigner further up the pitch. "I definitely expect the team to be strong contenders for the title again this year. If players can be kept fit, they will surely make it through to the semi-finals. Let’s just hope they go a step further this year," he added.

Fans from all over the state will once more throng Fatorda o get behind their team when the Gaurs take on Pune City FC in their first home match on October 8th.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Dipendu Biswas’ injury time goal saves the day for Mohammedan SC

By Ujjal Sarkhel

Barasat: Mohammedan Sporting Club defeated Southern Samity 2-1 in their Calcutta Football League Premier A  clash on Wednesday at the Barasat Vidyasagar Kriangan.

Mohammedan Sporting took the lead in 69th minute through Usman Ashique, only for Basanta Singh to restore parity for Southern Samity in 72th minute from a spot kick. But once again Black Panthers srtuck through their substitute Dipendu Biswas  on 95th minute to console the full three for his side in this important CFL fixture.

After the 2008-2009 season Mohammedan Sporting registered 4 back to back CFL match win.

Going in to this match Mohammedan Coach Mridul Bannerjee made one change in the starting line up. Midfielder Usman Ashique come in starting line up as a replacement of Atinder Mani. On the other hand Southern Samity remained the same starting line up which played in their previous match against East Bengal.

Black Panthers are dominated the game from opening minutes, kepping their possession in midfield ,they placed a lots of attack in Southern Samity box. But the final ball was lacking every time for the panthers. On 34th minute Southern Samity got a chance where Basanta Singh’s brilliant right footed shot was well saved by the custodian Sayan Roy. Meanwhile after few minutes Mohammedan Sporting’s Dodoz tried same and Southern Custodian Sourav did the same of Sayan Roy. Both team tried hard to break the deadlock but both team looses the ball control in the penetrative zone. Mohammedan striker Dodoz was man marked by the Southern Stopper Echezona and on the other hand Mohammedan stopper Lancine Toure  did well job in defense by marking the Liberian striker of Southern Tarrus. The first half ended with goal less.

Mohammedan Sporting kept on pressing in the second half in search of the all important goal. But every time the final ball was lacking. The same thing was happned for Southern side also. In second half Southern midfielder Antoni Soren was looking more dangerous with his brilliant speedy move.

Finally the deadlock was Brocken on 69th minute through the Mohammedan player Ushman Ashique. Manvir Singh delivered a through pass into the Southern box where Ushman puts the ball into the net and scored his first goal in his debut. But Southern Samity found the equalizer just after three minute from a penalty. Ushman fouled a Southern player in their penalty box. Referee Ranjit did no mistake to give that penalty. Basanta Singh scored from this spot kick and leveled the game.

Thereafter both team tired hard to found the insurance goal. Mohammedan coach Mridul Bannerjee made three changes. Ushman Ashique,  Manvir Singh and Dipendu Dowary was replaced by Parvinder Singh, Atinder Mani and Dipendu Biswas.

When everyone is thinking that the match will end as a draw , substituted veteran  Dipendu Biswas come as savior for the black panthers by scoring his 249th goal of his carrier on 95th minuted of the game.As a result of that the game ended with the win of Mohammedan’s side.

After this thrilling win Mohammedan Sporting are in the  second position of league table. Black Panthers will face Peerless SC in their next game at the same venue.

Photo By: Debabrata Majumder

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Dipendu Biswas’ injury time goal saved the day for Mohammedan SC

By Ujjal Sarkhel

Barasat: Mohammedan Sporting Club defeated Southern Samity 2-1 in their Calcutta Football League Premier A  clash on Wednesday at the Barasat Vidyasagar Kriangan.

Mohammedan Sporting took the lead in 69th minute through Usman Ashique, only for Basanta Singh to restore parity for Southern Samity in 72th minute from a spot kick. But once again Black Panthers srtuck through their substitute Dipendu Biswas  on 95th minute to console the full three for his side in this important CFL fixture.

After the 2008-2009 season Mohammedan Sporting registered 4 back to back CFL match win.

Going in to this match Mohammedan Coach Mridul Bannerjee made one change in the starting line up. Midfielder Usman Ashique come in starting line up as a replacement of Atinder Mani. On the other hand Southern Samity remained the same starting line up which played in their previous match against East Bengal.

Black Panthers are dominated the game from opening minutes, kepping their possession in midfield ,they placed a lots of attack in Southern Samity box. But the final ball was lacking every time for the panthers. On 34th minute Southern Samity got a chance where Basanta Singh’s brilliant right footed shot was well saved by the custodian Sayan Roy. Meanwhile after few minutes Mohammedan Sporting’s Dodoz tried same and Southern Custodian Sourav did the same of Sayan Roy. Both team tried hard to break the deadlock but both team looses the ball control in the penetrative zone. Mohammedan striker Dodoz was man marked by the Southern Stopper Echezona and on the other hand Mohammedan stopper Lancine Toure  did well job in defense by marking the Liberian striker of Southern Tarrus. The first half ended with goal less.

Mohammedan Sporting kept on pressing in the second half in search of the all important goal. But every time the final ball was lacking. The same thing was happned for Southern side also. In second half Southern midfielder Antoni Soren was looking more dangerous with his brilliant speedy move.

Finally the deadlock was Brocken on 69th minute through the Mohammedan player Ushman Ashique. Manvir Singh delivered a through pass into the Southern box where Ushman puts the ball into the net and scored his first goal in his debut. But Southern Samity found the equalizer just after three minute from a penalty. Ushman fouled a Southern player in their penalty box. Referee Ranjit did no mistake to give that penalty. Basanta Singh scored from this spot kick and leveled the game.

Thereafter both team tired hard to found the insurance goal. Mohammedan coach Mridul Bannerjee made three changes. Ushman Ashique,  Manvir Singh and Dipendu Dowary was replaced by Parvinder Singh, Atinder Mani and Dipendu Biswas.

When everyone is thinking that the match will end as a draw , substituted veteran  Dipendu Biswas come as savior for the black panthers by scoring his 249th goal of his carrier on 95th minuted of the game.As a result of that the game ended with the win of Mohammedan’s side.

After this thrilling win Mohammedan Sporting are in the  second position of league table. Black Panthers will face Peerless SC in their next game at the same venue.

Photo By: Debabrata Majumder

by Abhishek Shukla

Rohit brace helps DSK Shivajians overcome Gangtok

31st August, 2016 – Delhi, India – DSK Shivajians FC continued their maiden appearance in

the 128th Durand Cup after registering a facile 2-1 win over Gangtok Himalayan SC at the

Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi on Wednesday.

A first-half double by LFC-DSK Academy graduate Rohit Kumar (5th and 44th minute) enabled

DSK Shivajians to log full points. Gangtok Himalayan pulled one back via a penalty kick

conversion by Jon Lepcha (78 th minute). The result took DSK Shivajians points tally to six and

earned the pole position in Group A.

Manager Dave Rogers began the game making four changes to his playing XI that played in the

first match by bringing in goalkeeper Sayak Barai, Shane McFaul, Gagandeep Singh, and

Biaklan Paite. The players omitted were Rakshit Dagar, Zohmingliana Ralte, Maan Singh and

Juan Quero. The starting XI consisted of seven LFC-DSK Academy graduates.

The team also had a switch in skipper’s role with Kim Song Yong bearing the captain’s band.

DSK Shivajians began at a frenetic pace. A couple of all out attacking runs pushed Gangtok

Himalayan onto back-foot. First, Paite fell short when Kim played him a through ball and then

Gagandeep, running down the flank, earned the first corner-kick of the match, which led to the

first strike.

Paite’s delivery in the box from the corner was fumbled by goalkeeper Sukhwinder Singh, which

led to a lurking Rohit pounce onto the opportunity and slot home (1-0).

Two minutes later Paite had his try from close punched away by the ‘keeper.

At the other end, DSK Shivajians had a moment of worry in the 13th minute. John Kane, getting

clear, ended up with his try going over. Midway through the half, DSK Shivajians lost

Gagandeep after a challenge with an opponent left him with a limp. Four minutes

laterGagandeep was substituted, and Surachandra Singh was brought in.

Gangtok Himalayan with the one odd attack into the DSK Shivajians’ half hardly tested the

defence. A rebound off the wall following a free-kick was poked gently by Surjit Singh into DSK

keeper Sayak.

A couple of bookings led to Sanjay Chettri (Gangtok) and  Vanlalremkima (DSK Shivajians)

receive yellow cards before DSK Shivajians launched themselves in attack once again through

Arif Shaikh, only to have him breaching the off-side trap.

Gangtok’s Karma Tsweang joined the referees’ book after he brought down Surachandra. Two

close moments followed inside the Gangtok Himalayan’s box. Surachandra’s stiff try had the

goalkeeper tip the ball over and later, his cross was headed out by Arif.

DSK Shivajians closed out the half with their second strike. Paite, down the flank, delivered a

low cross, which Arif stepped over leaving Rohit clear which he later finished with a low drive

past the keeper (2-0).

On resumption, DSK Shivajians lost out on a glorious opportunity to increase the tally. Kim,

running clear, was brought down resulting in a penalty kick. Kim stepped up, but to his dismay,

the goalkeeper judged well and thus nullified the chance of a possible third goal.

DSK Shivajians, at the other end, survived when custodian was off the line. Sayak, to his luck,

saw an attempt by Jon Lepcha kiss the horizontal and go over. DSK Shivajians stung back, with

Kim finding the custodian in his way from six-yards out.

End to end action prevailed after that with neither team managing to get a clear attempt on

target. As the game moved into the last 15 minutes, Gangtok Himalayan earned a penalty kick

after defender Lalnunsiama brought down an attacker. Lepcha stepped up and sent Sayak the

wrong way to pull one back for the Sikkim team(2-1).

The opponents were growing in confidence following the goal, but it was DSK Shivajians

‘keeper who denied Nima Lepcha with a brilliant collection. Deep into the half, Shane McFaul

did well to avert a couple of situations and keep the score favoured with DSK Shivajians.

DSK Shivajians will now play Indian Navy on 2nd September at the Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi.

by Abhishek Shukla

TEN MEN MINERVA GO DOWN FIGHTING TO GANGTOK HIMALAYAN IN DURAND CUP DEBUT MATCH

Minerva Academy FC kick started their historic debut Durand Cup campaign against fellow I-League 2nd Division competitors Himalyan Gangtok FC at Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi yesterday. The match ended 2-0 in Gangtok Himalayan’s favour.

The game wasn’t in favour of the Minerva boys who’s average age was 23, an U15 player (Jackson Singh) too was part of starting IX of the young Minervan team.

Gangtok FC first had a taste for a goal in the opening few minutes of the game with foreigner Samuel Kane getting through Minervans Jarmanjit and Akashdeep only to be denied by keeper Arshdeep. Minerva then bounced back in the very next move with striker Victor Amobi missing a one-on-one with the Gangtok goalkeeper Loknath Roy. In the first half an attempt at goal by striker Girik Khosla missed the goal post by inches. The next couple of minutes were a busy time for Gangtok goalkeeper Loknath Roy as he had made a few important saves from Minerva AFC’s strikers Manandeep Singh and Girik Khosla. A dominant 1st half turned out to be a disappointing one when Minerva Defender Jarmanjit was shown a direct red for his tackle on Gangtok’s playmaker Samuel Kane which successfully rewarded his dive inside the box. Minerva’s never say die attitude reflected as they still fought hard with 10 men to break the deadlock, but all attempts were in vain leading to a score line of 0-0 in the first half.

Second Half saw Gangtok Himalayan trying to capitalise on Minerva being down to 10 men. Coach Surinder Singh introduced  India U19 international Moinuddin to replace Girik Khosla and bring in some fresh legs. Winger Akash Sangwan was sent back to fill in the gap created by departure of Jarmanjit. The make shift defence of Minerva managed to keep Gangtok strikers at bay until 65th minute when Akash Sangwan limped off the field with a cramp leaving only 9 Minervans on the field. This is when Bhaichung Bhutia of Gangtok headed in a corner kick to put Gangtok in the lead. Minervans were now rearing for goal and put immense pressure on the Gangtok back four. Substitute Moinuddin displayed fine form of skill by releasing striker Manandeep Singh for some good chances. One such volley landed perfectly for Manandeep just outside the box but the powerful shot just brushed past the bar. The Gangtok players now deployed time wasting tactics to slow the game down and keep the lead but the Minervans were relentless in trying to get one back. The final heartbreak came in the 80th minute when Gangtok Himalayan scored the second goal through Samuel Kane again from a corner kick.  Minervans tried to take on the herculean task , and the last 10 minutes of the game saw striker Victor Amobi replaced with Lago Bei of Ivory Coast to refurbish the Minervan attack, but in vain. The match ended with a final score of 2-0 in Gangtok Himalayan’s favour. The evening was a heartbreak to all Minervans as the team lost 3 crucial points to the lads from Gangtok to whom they have never lost before.

Minerva Academy FC next takes on Indian Navy in another important fixture on 1st September at 4.15pm in Harbaksh Football Stadium, Delhi.

by Abhishek Shukla

TEN MEN MINERVA GO DOWN FIGHTING TO GANGTOK HIMALAYAN IN DURAND CUP DEBUT MATCH

Minerva Academy FC kick started their historic debut Durand Cup campaign against fellow I-League 2nd Division competitors Himalyan Gangtok FC at Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi yesterday. The match ended 2-0 in Gangtok Himalayan’s favour.

The game wasn’t in favour of the Minerva boys who’s average age was 23, an U15 player (Jackson Singh) too was part of starting IX of the young Minervan team.

Gangtok FC first had a taste for a goal in the opening few minutes of the game with foreigner Samuel Kane getting through Minervans Jarmanjit and Akashdeep only to be denied by keeper Arshdeep. Minerva then bounced back in the very next move with striker Victor Amobi missing a one-on-one with the Gangtok goalkeeper Loknath Roy. In the first half an attempt at goal by striker Girik Khosla missed the goal post by inches. The next couple of minutes were a busy time for Gangtok goalkeeper Loknath Roy as he had made a few important saves from Minerva AFC’s strikers Manandeep Singh and Girik Khosla. A dominant 1st half turned out to be a disappointing one when Minerva Defender Jarmanjit was shown a direct red for his tackle on Gangtok’s playmaker Samuel Kane which successfully rewarded his dive inside the box. Minerva’s never say die attitude reflected as they still fought hard with 10 men to break the deadlock, but all attempts were in vain leading to a score line of 0-0 in the first half.

Second Half saw Gangtok Himalayan trying to capitalise on Minerva being down to 10 men. Coach Surinder Singh introduced  India U19 international Moinuddin to replace Girik Khosla and bring in some fresh legs. Winger Akash Sangwan was sent back to fill in the gap created by departure of Jarmanjit. The make shift defence of Minerva managed to keep Gangtok strikers at bay until 65th minute when Akash Sangwan limped off the field with a cramp leaving only 9 Minervans on the field. This is when Bhaichung Bhutia of Gangtok headed in a corner kick to put Gangtok in the lead. Minervans were now rearing for goal and put immense pressure on the Gangtok back four. Substitute Moinuddin displayed fine form of skill by releasing striker Manandeep Singh for some good chances. One such volley landed perfectly for Manandeep just outside the box but the powerful shot just brushed past the bar. The Gangtok players now deployed time wasting tactics to slow the game down and keep the lead but the Minervans were relentless in trying to get one back. The final heartbreak came in the 80th minute when Gangtok Himalayan scored the second goal through Samuel Kane again from a corner kick.  Minervans tried to take on the herculean task , and the last 10 minutes of the game saw striker Victor Amobi replaced with Lago Bei of Ivory Coast to refurbish the Minervan attack, but in vain. The match ended with a final score of 2-0 in Gangtok Himalayan’s favour. The evening was a heartbreak to all Minervans as the team lost 3 crucial points to the lads from Gangtok to whom they have never lost before.

Minerva Academy FC next takes on Indian Navy in another important fixture on 1st September at 4.15pm in Harbaksh Football Stadium, Delhi.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: East Bengal face George Telegraph challenge

By Ujjal Sarkhel

Kolkata: East Bengal football club will be aiming to continue their unbeaten streak in ongoing CFL 2016 premiere A when they play their 7th match against George Telegraph at the Barasat Vidyasagar Kriangan on Thursday.

East Bengal are coming into this game fresh off a 2-1 win over Southern Samity while George Telegraph suffered a 5-1 loss in their last game against United Sports Club.

Red and Golds are currently in top position with 18 points in 6 games, will look to continue their unbeaten run and cement the top position in this league. Against George Telegraph the red and gold are expected to retain the same starting XI of last match. Dong Hyun and Jiten will start as a upfront player. Mehatab Hussain, Lalrandika Ralte, Md Rafique and Avinash Rui Das would form the spine of the team.Skipper Arnab Mandal will continue to helm the defensive duties beside Calum Angas with Samad Ali and Robert as the full backs and Lui Barreto as custodian.

“Every match is important for us in this league. My boys are playing well. I told them to go match by match. I am confident to win this crucial match and I belive that my boys will give 100% to fulfil that” coach Morgan told to the reporters.

Though East Bengal won 6 consecutive matches , the defense conceded goal in every matches, which has worried enough their coach Morgan. The British stopper Calam Angus  still could not do justice to its name.

On the other hand George Telegraph are one of the weakest team in this season. They earned only one point in 5 games and currently at the bottom of the league table fighting with the relegation. Yet they will try to give a life-threatening bite to East Bengal to earn some point. Their two foreign strikers BAYI KAMO STEPHANE ,Babatunde Ayomide Badmus  will become the key factor in this game.

So it will become an exciting one that how the league leaders will play against this weakest opponent.

The game at Barasat Stadium kicks off at 5.30 pm on Wednesday and it will be televised on ETV News Bangla.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Mohammedan SC keen to break jinx against Southern Samity

KOLKATA:Mohammedan Sporting Club will look to grab their fourth successive win in the ongoing CFL Premier Division – A  when take on Southern Samity tomorrow at Barasat Stadium.

The match against Southern Samity is very crucial for the Black Panthers as they are 6 points below the leaders East Bengal and one behind second placed Mohun Bagan, on third with 12 points. Thus a win on the morrow would take them to second making the three headed race at the top tighter.

Mohammedan SC, who played their last game on August 20 against Aryan Club, are coming into game on the back of three back-to-back wins. However the task at hand won’t be easy for the Black Panthers as gaffer Mridul Bannerjee has admitted that Southern Samity could prove to be the toughest opponent that his team have faced so far in the competition.

“We did win three games back-to-back but whatever we have done in the past will count for very little when we play our next game. Each game is a new challenge and needs different approach,” coach Bannerjee said ahead of the clash.

Facing Southern Samity, Mohammedan SC will be boosted by the arrival of  attacking medio Alexandre Tabillon, along with the Frenchman experienced striker Dipendu Biswas will also be available for selection.

On the other hand, Southern Samity’s campaign has been a roller coaster ride so far. The Subarata Bhattacharya Jr. coached side started with a goalless draw against Bhawanipore Club, then they went on to beat United SC 2-0 before going down 0-1 to Mohun Bagan. However, they bounced back to the winning ways against Army XI but again suffered a narrow 1-2 defeat from East Bengal in their last game.< Going into the game, Southrn Samity will rely on their Liberian striker Taurus Manneh and Ashim Biswas for goals up front while the likes of Antoni Soren, Deepak Mondal, Basanta Singh, Goutam Kujur and Safar Sardar will add depth to the side. “Southern Samity is one of the toughest teams in the league. They have a well-balanced side and it always gets difficult when we are stacked up against a set of proven players. But I have full faith in our young team and they have stood up whenever needed. We will try our best for a positive result tomorrow,” coach Bannerjee added. Interestingly the current Southern Samity coach was in charge of Mohammedan SC during the 2015/16 I-League 2nd Division few months back and Southern Samity have as many five players in their side who plied their trade in Mohammedan SC previous season.

For the record, Mohammedan SC have not won against Southern Samity in their previous two meetings of the CFL Premier Division, hence The Black Panthers hoping for it’s third time lucky.

The game at Barasat Stadium kicks off at 5.30 pm on Wednesday and it will be televised on ETV News Bangla.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Mohammedan SC keen to break jinx against Southern Samity

By Debabrata Majumder

KOLKATA:Mohammedan Sporting Club will look to grab their fourth successive win in the ongoing CFL Premier Division – A  when take on Southern Samity tomorrow at Barasat Stadium.

The match against Southern Samity is very crucial for the Black Panthers as they are 6 points below the leaders East Bengal and one behind second placed Mohun Bagan, on third with 12 points. Thus a win on the morrow would take them to second making the three headed race at the top tighter.

Mohammedan SC, who played their last game on August 20 against Aryan Club, are coming into game on the back of three back-to-back wins. However the task at hand won’t be easy for the Black Panthers as gaffer Mridul Bannerjee has admitted that Southern Samity could prove to be the toughest opponent that his team have faced so far in the competition.

“We did win three games back-to-back but whatever we have done in the past will count for very little when we play our next game. Each game is a new challenge and needs different approach,” coach Bannerjee said ahead of the clash.

Facing Southern Samity, Mohammedan SC will be boosted by the arrival of  attacking medio Alexandre Tabillon, along with the Frenchman experienced striker Dipendu Biswas will also be available for selection.

On the other hand, Southern Samity’s campaign has been a roller coaster ride so far. The Subarata Bhattacharya Jr. coached side started with a goalless draw against Bhawanipore Club, then they went on to beat United SC 2-0 before going down 0-1 to Mohun Bagan. However, they bounced back to the winning ways against Army XI but again suffered a narrow 1-2 defeat from East Bengal in their last game.<

Going into the game, Southrn Samity will rely on their Liberian striker Taurus Manneh and Ashim Biswas for goals up front while the likes of Antoni Soren, Deepak Mondal, Basanta Singh, Goutam Kujur and Safar Sardar will add depth to the side.

“Southern Samity is one of the toughest teams in the league. They have a well-balanced side and it always gets difficult when we are stacked up against a set of proven players. But I have full faith in our young team and they have stood up whenever needed. We will try our best for a positive result tomorrow,” coach Bannerjee added.

Interestingly the current Southern Samity coach was in charge of Mohammedan SC during the 2015/16 I-League 2nd Division few months back and Southern Samity have as many five players in their side who plied their trade in Mohammedan SC previous season.

For the record, Mohammedan SC have not won against Southern Samity in their previous two meetings of the CFL Premier Division, hence The Black Panthers hoping for it’s third time lucky.

The game at Barasat Stadium kicks off at 5.30 pm on Wednesday and it will be televised on ETV News Bangla.

by Abhishek Shukla

DSK Shivajians FC face Gangtok Himalayan challenge

30th August 2016 – Delhi, India – DSK Shivajians Football Club will be aiming for back-to- back victories when they play their second match in the Durand Cup 2016 against Gangtok Himalayan SC at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday. A win would help DSK Shivajians FC get closer to qualify for the knock-outs from Group-A.

DSK Shivajians FC confidence stems from the 2-1 triumph they logged in their opener against Sporting Clube de Goa, courtesy first half goals from Rohit Kumar and Kim Song-Yong. Having set the tone on a winning note, Dave Rogers side will hope to carry forward the same momentum against a side that finished fifth in the 2015-16 I-League Second Division.

Gangtok Himalayan SC, playing their first tournament of the season, is yet to begin their campaign and opens against Minerva FC late Tuesday evening. The first time face-off between the two teams on Wednesday would mean that the Sikkim side will be back on pitch within 24 hours and reason enough for DSK Shivajians FC to exploit.

On the other hand, DSK Shivajians FC Manager Dave Rogers will be delighted to have a full squad at his disposal, with no injuries and suspensions.

Talking about tomorrow’s match, he commented: “Preparations have been going on really well. The squad is gelling together nicely. And after starting the competition with a win, the boys are excited and showing real enthusiasm for our next match, whilst understanding that we must take it one game at a time and showing each of our opponents the utmost respect. We know that the hard work is only just beginning in our journey to progress as a football club for the long term.”

DSK Shivajians FC’s North Korean forward Kim Song-Yong will hope to continue his impressive form in the front of the goal, after having scored two goals in last two matches for the Pune- based club. Meanwhile, captain Juan Quero, who created both the goal scoring opportunities in the Durand Cup opener, will look to add a goal to his increasing number of assists.

DSK Shivajians FC’s young brigade had an impressive outing in the opening match of the tournament, as Liverpool FC International Academy – DSK Shivajians graduate Rohit Kumar earned the distinction of becoming the first scorer in the 128 th edition of the Cup. His fellow academy players, Vanlalremkima and Lalthathanga worked tirelessly through the midfield and the flanks, respectively, to make life tough for their Goan opposition.

The match at the Ambedkar Stadium will kick-off at 4:30pm and will be covered LIVE on www.twitter.com/dskshivajians.

by Abhishek Shukla

Match Preview: Shillong Lajong FC vs Nangkiew Irat FC

Shillong 30 th August: Shillong Lajong FC will play their third game of the Gionee Shillong

Premier League against Nangkiew Irat Sports Club on 31 st August at the JN Stadium at

3:30PM.

Lajong started their Gionee SPL campaign with a 2-1 win against Rangdajied United FC.

They played their second game against Royal Wahingdoh FC on 26 th August but had to

settle for one point as the match ended in a goalless draw.

On the other side, Nangkiew Irat Sports Club have played two games so far and lost in

both. They lost their first match 2-0 against Royal Wahingdoh FC on the 20 th August and

lost their second game by 1-0 against Rangdajied United FC on the 25 th August.

In the 2015 edition of the SPL, Shillong Lajong FC registered a 2-1 win in the first round

encounter against Nangkiew on 19 th September. Both sides met again in the second

round on the 26 th October and played out a goalless draw.

Speaking to Shillong Lajong FC Head Coach Thangboi Singto said, “We have trained and

worked on important areas such as combination play and finishing. We hope that it will

bear fruit tomorrow.

Nangkiew Irat will be a difficult team to beat as they are a very hardworking team.

But if we play to our potential and convert our chances we have a good chance to win.

The boys are playing well and we need to play good football consistently for 90+

minutes”, he added.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL: FC Goa re-signs Gregory, Luciano and Rafael

Panaji, 30th August 2016: FC Goa has confirmed the re-signing of central defenders, Gregory Arnolin and Luciano Sobrosa and striker Rafael Coelho for the third season of the Hero Indian Super League. Gregory has been the mainstay in FC Goa’s defence from the first season. The defender is blessed with astute physical prowess and the ability to read the game well. In partnership with World Cup winning defender, Lucio, he was one of the major reasons the team had a successful run to the finals of the second edition. Gregory is also a potential goal threat for his side especially at set pieces, having netted twice in the first season and once in the second season with powerful headers.

The Martinique International endeared himself to the fan base with brilliant displays on the pitch and will be looking forward to going one step further in the third season after finishing up with a runners up medal in the second season.

“I am very happy to sign with FC Goa again. I have been at this club from the first season and we have made it to the semi-finals and then the finals. This year I hope to be able to win the ISL with FC Goa for the fans. I will give my best so that FC Goa can be champions of the ISL,” he said.

Brazilian defender Luciano Sobrosa was an able understudy to both Gregory and Lucio in the second season. He made seven solid appearances for Zico’s team and impressed the legendary coach during this stint. The 37 year old has been a veteran in the Indian football circuit with stints at various Indian clubs like Salgaocar, Sporting Goa and most recently, Mohun Bagan.

Coelho was signed mid-season last year after an injury to striker Victor Simoes ruled him out for the season. He was an instant hit with the fans with his tireless work ethic on the pitch. His constant threat in the box was a huge boost to the team in their run to the finals of the tournament.

by Abhishek Shukla

FC Goa re-signs Gregory, Luciano and Rafael

Panaji, 30th August 2016: FC Goa has confirmed the re-signing of central defenders, Gregory Arnolin and Luciano Sobrosa and striker Rafael Coelho for the third season of the Hero Indian Super League. Gregory has been the mainstay in FC Goa’s defence from the first season. The defender is blessed with astute physical prowess and the ability to read the game well. In partnership with World Cup winning defender, Lucio, he was one of the major reasons the team had a successful run to the finals of the second edition. Gregory is also a potential goal threat for his side especially at set pieces, having netted twice in the first season and once in the second season with powerful headers.

The Martinique International endeared himself to the fan base with brilliant displays on the pitch and will be looking forward to going one step further in the third season after finishing up with a runners up medal in the second season.

“I am very happy to sign with FC Goa again. I have been at this club from the first season and we have made it to the semi-finals and then the finals. This year I hope to be able to win the ISL with FC Goa for the fans. I will give my best so that FC Goa can be champions of the ISL,” he said.

Brazilian defender Luciano Sobrosa was an able understudy to both Gregory and Lucio in the second season. He made seven solid appearances for Zico’s team and impressed the legendary coach during this stint. The 37 year old has been a veteran in the Indian football circuit with stints at various Indian clubs like Salgaocar, Sporting Goa and most recently, Mohun Bagan.

Coelho was signed mid-season last year after an injury to striker Victor Simoes ruled him out for the season. He was an instant hit with the fans with his tireless work ethic on the pitch. His constant threat in the box was a huge boost to the team in their run to the finals of the tournament.