Category: Football

by Abhishek Shukla

Sporting starts their title defense in Goa Pro League against Churchill

 

GOA: Reigning Champions Sporting Clube de Goa open their Goa Pro League title defense against the South Goa giants Churchill Brothers at Duler Stadium, Mapusa on Tuesday. The two already played each other in the Goa Police Cup 2016 group stages in which Sporting got better of the Red Machines. However Churchill Bros will remember their performance in the opening match of the previous edition of Goa Pro League where they managed to upset the Flaming Oranje.

Speaking about preparations for the match Sporting Gaffer Mateus Costa said. “Tomorrow will be a good game for all of us; it won’t be easy because Churchill Bros are a strong team with some good players. The win in our previous encounter will definitely give some additional confidence to our boys.”

But Costa also stressed on the point that this is completely a new start “Well at the back of our minds we do know we have beaten them but this is a new day and a new start. What happened was good but we are not relaxed, we will give our best on the pitch tomorrow.”

He further added “We need to send the right message, the first few matches are always very important. A good start will set the momentum right. We want to start on a positive note and go home with 3 points.”

He also mentioned “Tomorrows match is important because we leave for Durand Cup after this round so a win here can be a good moral boost.”

Speaking about the previous season Costa mentioned “We remember how things went south last time around; we do not want to repeat those mistakes. We faltered in maintaining our focus and that’s what cost us the first two matches last time. We will ensure that doesn’t happen now.”

Speaking about the current squad at disposal Costa said “At Sporting we try to improve all our players – it’s not important if he is the best player, young player or any other. What is important to us is he is our player and we will make sure to bring out the best in him.”

As this will be the first heavy weight clash of Goa Pro League this season one can expect an exciting encounter on the cards.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Calum Angus on target as East Bengal beat Tollygunge Agragami

By Debabrata Majumder

KOLKATA: East Bengal overcame Tollygunge Agragami 1-0 to register their fifth consecutive victory in the ongoing CFL Premier Division – A at Barasat Stadium on Sunday.

The all impotant goal came in the 73rd minute through defender Calum Angus which sellted the evenly contested fixture in East Bengal’s favour.

Heading into the tie, East Bengal gaffer Trevor Morgan made three changes from the side that edge United SC 4-3 last week. Luis Barreto replaced Dibyendu Sarkar under the bar while Samad Ali Mallick and Mehtab Hossain came at the expense of Gurwinder Singh and Nikhil Poojary.

Tollygunge started the match with a lot of intensity compared to their stronger opponents. Tollygunge had the first chance to take the lead in the 10th minute when striker Alfred Jaryan attempted a long range shot which was denied by the crossbar.

Around the 15th minute mark defender Kareem Omolaja Nurain tried his luck from a free-kick but the Nigerian directed his effort off the target.

Meanwhile, East Bengal also created some good moves in patches. The strike pair of Somide Adelaja and Jiten Murmu made some attempts on Tollygunge goal but never really get a grip on proceedings as their moves fizzled once they reach near the rival box.

East Bengal had the only scoring opportunity of the first-half through midfielder Mohammad Rafique whose attempted long-ranger missed the target by a few inches in the 35th minute.

Thereafter, both sides engaged in an end-to-end battle but could not break the deadlock as the first session ended scoreless.

East Bengal looked better in the second half, when the Korean forward Do Dong Hyun entered the field in the 58th minute replacing Adelaja.

Following Dong’s introduction the East Bengal the forward line moved with much cohesion. Tollygunge, on the other hand, looked to keep compact and hit their rivals on the counter attack.

Having created a handful of half chances, East Bengal almost got the breakthrough in the 65th minute but defender Arnab Mondal failed to keep his header on traget off a Mehtab Hossain corner.

The constant attacks from East Bengal bore fruit in the 73rd minute, when Mehtab sent in a inch perfect cross from a right sided corner and Angus made no mistake to head home the opener.

Soon after conceding, Tollygunge coach Ranjan Chowdhury brought in striker Joel Sunday in place of Kareem to give more thrust in the attack. But the East Bengal defense did well to held on their narrow adavantage.

After this win East Bengal moved up to the summit of the CFL satndings with 15 points from 5 games while Tollygunge Agragami remain at sixth with 7 points from as many games.

East Bengal XI: Luis Barreto (GK), Samad Ali Mallick, Calum Angus, Arnab Mondal, Narayan Das, Abinash Ruidas (Prohlad Roy – 59′), Mehtab Hossain, Lalrindika Ralte (Bikash Jairu – 88′), Somide Adelaja (Dong Hyun Do – 58′), Jiten Murmu.

Tollygunge Agragami XI: Kunzang Bhutia (GK), Phoolchand Hembram, Kareem Omolaja Nurain (Joel Sunday – 75′), Gurtej Singh, Shanku Guha, Surabuddin Mallick, Santosh Oraon (Karan Atwal – 74′), Rakesh Masih, Palsang Lama, Raja Das, Alfred Jayran.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Mohun Bagan seek redemption against Peerless

By Debabrata Majmder

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan seek redemption when they face Peerless Sports Club in an CFL Premier Division – A encounter at Mohun Bagan Ground on Monday.

Having been defeated Mohun Bagan 2-0 at a pre-season friendly earlier in the season, Peerless will fancy their chances heading into the game while The Mariners looks to set the record straight.

Going into the game Mohun Bagan, who are currently at second spot on 12 points from 4 outings, will be looking for all three points as a positive result will take them ahead of East Bengal to the summit on goal difference, whereas Peerless, who are on fourth position with 7 points, will be eager to upset the mighty Mohun Bagan to give themselves a chance to make a top three finish.

Mohun Bagan won their first two games of the league rather convincingly 5-1 and 4-0 against Aryan Club and George Telegraph respectively but their performance level dipped in next two games against Southern Samity and Bhawanipore Club. Although, Mohun Bagan registered a 1-0 victory in both but those were a bit unconvincing than the first two.

“The match is an important one for us. Even though we have won all our previous matches but every match is a new challenge and Peerless will be a tough opponent,” Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakrabarty said on the eve of the clash.

On the team news front, Bagan coach is expected to shuffle his starting line-up as Afghan defender Zohib Islam Amiri could make his first start of the season replacing Tonmoy Ghosh and skipper Raju Gaikwad is likely to switch his position with the right-back. While the newest foreign acquisition Daniel Bidemi will start on the bench.

Peerless, on the other hand, started their campaign with a goaless draw against Tollygunge Agragami. Then they went on to beat Aryan 3-0 before going down 0-2 against East Bengal. However, the Fuja Tope-led side bounced back to the winning ways with a 2-1 win over United Sports Club in their last match.

Coach Fuja Tope will be relying heavily on the strike pair of Rahim Nabi and Ghanefo Kromah to penetrate the Bagan defense, while the likes of Argha Chakraborty, Sukhwinder Singh, Arijit Bagui and Irfan Khan would form the spine of the team with Nigerian Ugochukwu Godswill leading the defense line.

“Peerless is a very good side and they have some good players like Nabi, Argha and Sukhwinder with a very experienced coach in Fuja Tope but I have full faith on our team and I am hopeful for a positive result tomorrow,” coach Sankarlal added.

For the record, last time when these two faced off in a competitive match it was in the 2013/14 CFL Premier Division which eneded in a 2-2 stalemate at Saltlake Stadium.

by Abhishek Shukla

Guwahati to host ISL 2016 Grand Opening Ceremony

 

Mumbai: Football Sports Development Ltd, the promoters of Hero Indian Super League have awarded Guwahati, Assam the coveted rights to host the opening ceremony and the season opener match of Hero ISL 2016.

The North East region of India haveestablished itself as the emerging football powerhouse in the country. By awarding Guwahati the rights to host ISL 2016 opening ceremony, Football Sports Development wishes to celebrate North East’s contribution to the development of Indian football and recognise the potential it has in shaping the future of the beautiful game in the country.

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Sarusajai, with a capacity of 30,000 will be the hub of Indian and global fans on 1st October 2016 as the ISL teams will join owners, celebrities and performers to provide North East a memorable visual extravaganza at the Opening Ceremony.

The host club NorthEast United FC – aptly representing the eight states of North East – led by new coach Nelo ‘The Professor’ Vingada will begin the season opening match against Steve Coppell’s Kerala Blasters FC in the ISL 2016 opener.

by Abhishek Shukla

Mohammedan SC edge past Aryan Club 1-0 in CFL

Mohammedan Sporting Club edge past Aryan Club 1-0 to log their third successive win in the ongoing CFL Premier Division – A at Barasat Stadium on Saturday.

Ivorian forward Leonce Dodoz struck the lone goal of the game in the 73rd minute when Lancine Toure set up from a Mumtaz Akhtar corner and Dodoz made no mistake in slotting home the opener which separated the teams in a closely contested tie. Kepeer Shayon Roy, who pulled of some brilliant saves through out the game, has been named Man of the Match.

After this win Mohammedan SC now have 12 points from 5 games and will face Southern Samity next on August 24 at the same venue.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Mohammedan SC edge past Aryan Club 1-0

 

KOLKATA: Mohammedan Sporting Club edge past Aryan Club 1-0 to log their third successive win in the ongoing CFL Premier Division – A on Saturday.

Ivorian forward Leonce Dodoz struck the lone goal of the game in the 73rd minute which separated the teams in a closely contested tie at Barasat Stadium.

Going into the game Mohammedan SC head coach Mridul Banerjee fielded a unchanged side from the previous game against George Telegraph.

Mohammedan SC began the game in attacking mode and created a couple of close chances early on. While strikers Manvir Singh and Dodoz did well to get into spaces, the duo lacked the finish in the Aryan’s final third.

As the half progressed, Mohammedan SC started dominating the possession. On the other hand, Aryan defended deep and had their custodian Raju Ganguly to thank after he denied Manvir, Dodoz and Atinder Mani on multiple occasions as both sides went into the breather tied at goalless.

The second half was a similar story as The Black Panthers dominated majority of the proceedings and attacked with intensity looking for the breakthrough. However, once again it was the lack of finishing that let them down.

Needing a goal,  Mohammedan SC introduced Parminder Singh in place of Atinder Mani. The move had an immediate impact as The Black Panthers suddenly started to look much more purposeful.

Mohammedan SC’s persistence finally paid off as they pulled ahead in the 73th minute when Dodoz slotted the opener after being set up by Lancine Toure from Mumtaz Akhtar’s left sided corner.

In the final quarter, Aryan tried hard for the equaliser but thanks to keeper Shayon Roy, who pulled off some brilliant saves and rightly named Man of the Match later, Mohammedan SC managed to hold onto their slender advantage and walked out with all three points.

After this win Mohammedan SC now have 12 points from 5 games and will face Southern Samity next on August 24 at the same venue.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: East Bengal look to maintain winning momentum against Tollygunge Agragami

By Debabrata Majumder

KOLKATA: Having won four matches on the trot, East Bengal will be looking to continue the winning momentum in the ongoing Calcutta Premier Division – A, when they take on Tollygunge Agragami on Sunday at Barasat Stadium.

With 12 points to their credit from 4 matches, a win will take the Red & Golds at the summit of the league table. while Tollygunge, who are on 7 points from as many matches, will be eager to bounce back to the winning ways after suffering a shock 0-2 defeat against Aryan Club in their last fixture.

High on confidence after winning a 4-3 thriller against United Sports Club thanks to a Lalrindika Ralte brace, East Bengal would once again rely on him for goals along with Do Dong Hyun who is likely to make a start after coming as a substitute in consecutive games.

Avinash Ruidas, with his speedy run on the flank, have made it difficult for United SC in the previous match. However, the Tollygunge defense led by Nigerian Kareem Omolaja Nurain is expected to give the Trevor Morgan boys some hard time.

“We have won all our previous matches but I think we haven’t performed according to our strength yet. We have to do much better than this to go the distance,” said Morgan.

On the team news front, East Bengal will be strengthened with the return of experienced midfielder Mehtab Hossain and the first choice right-back Rahul Bheke, who missed the last match due to injury. Meanwhile, keeper Luis Barreto could also return to the starting line-up.

Tollygunge, on the other hand, stated their campaign with a lot of promise and even pulled off the first upset of the season when they beat a strong Mohammedan Sporting Club 2-1. However they lost their next match against a weaker Aryan Club.

Facing East Bengal, Tollygunge Agragami coach Ranjan Chowdhury, who used to be Morgan’s deputy in East Bengal, will be relying on Nigerian striker Joel Sunday for goals upfront. Joining him will be the likes of Surabuddin Mallick, Ram Malik and Reisangmei Vashum who would play a crucial role in the midfield.

“It will be a competitive match. Tollygunge is an unpredictable team. They are capable of surprising anyone. They have a very good midfield and forward line and we need to stay aware of them. But we are keen to be on the winning side,” Morgan added.

Last time when these two teams meet in the Calcutta Premier Division – A last season, it was East Bengal who came out victorius 1-0 and the Red & Golds, a year later, will look to repeat the feat once again.

The match at Barasat Stadium kicks off at 5 pm on Sunday and it will be televised on ETV News Bangla.

by Abhishek Shukla

Guwahati to host Hero ISL 2016 Grand Opening Ceremony

Mumbai, 20th August 2016 :Football Sports Development Ltd, the promoters of Hero Indian Super League have awarded Guwahati, Assam the coveted rights to host the opening ceremony and the season opener match of Hero ISL 2016.

The North East region of India have established itself as the emerging football powerhouse in the country. By awarding Guwahati the rights to host ISL 2016 opening ceremony, Football Sports Development wishes to celebrate North East’s contribution to the development of Indian football and recognize the potential it has in shaping the future of the beautiful game in the country.

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Sarusajai, with a capacity of 30,000 will be the hub of Indian and global fans on 1st October 2016 as the ISL teams will join owners, celebrities and performers to provide North East a memorable visual extravaganza at the Opening Ceremony.

The host club NorthEast United FC – aptly representing the eight states of North East – led by new coach Nelo ‘The Professor’ Vingada will begin the season opening match against Steve Coppell’s Kerala Blasters FC in the ISL 2016 opener.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Coach Mridul Banerjee takes it match by match as Mohammedan SC face Aryan

By Debabrata Majumder

KOLKATA: Mohammedan Sporting Club will be aiming for all three points when they face Aryan Club in the ongoing Calcutta Premier Division – A at the Barasat Stadium on Saturday.

The Black Panthers currently at third on nine points from 4 games, a 2-0 or bigger win against Aryan take them to second, but the coach Mridul Banerjee has revealed that right now he is not ready to think about the points table and wants to take one game at a time.

“The league is very competitive and all teams are almost equal. Though we have won our last two matches but I think there is still room for improvement and we need to maintain a certain level of consistency going forward,” coach Banerjee added.

However, heading into the game on the back of a convincing 4-1 win over George Telegraph midweek, Mohamedan SC will be looking to overcome the challenge of a hectic schedule as they play their third game in a span of eight days.

Facing Aryan, coach Banerjee is likely to field the same starting line-up that brought back-to-back victories for the side. Winger Sheikh Faiaz, who is recovering from injury, would be missing the action.

Aryan, on the other hand, suffered the biggest defeat of the season so far when they went down 1-5 against Mohun Bagan but the Rajdeep Nandi coached side recovered with 2-0 win over Tollygunge Agragami in their last match.

Aryan will be banking heavily on their attacking duo of Kazeem Amobi and Obasi Moses for goals upfront. Meanwhile, the likes of Tanmoy Kundu, Goutam Thakur and Rajib Ghoroi are expected to pull the strings from midfield.

“Aryan is a tricky side who has the potential to beat any side on their given day and we have to be cautious against them, but having said that we are going for all three points tomorrow,” coach Banerjee concluded.

The last time when these two faced off in the Calcutta Premier Division – A last season the game ended in a 1-1 draw so this time around the Black Panthers will be eager for a win to maintain pressure on their city rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal who currently occupy the top two places in the standings.

The match at Barasat kicks off at 5.00 pm and it will be televised live on ETV News Bangla.

 

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL: FC Goa confirms the signing of Fulganco Cardozo and Sahil Tavora

 

Panaji: FC GOA has confirmed the signings of Goan players Sahil Tavora and Fulganco Cardozo for Season 3 of the Indian Super League.

Local lad Sahil Tavora is FC Goa’s selection for the U-23 player that every ISL squad is mandated to have. The 21-year-old has been plying his trade with Dempo previously and was part of the team that gained promotion to the I-League earlier in the year

Speaking of his new team Tavora said, “I’m delighted at the prospect of signing for the club. This is a team that is led by one of the greats of the game and there is a lot to learn from. It is packed with experienced players and I’m excited at the opportunity of working with them. We have performed consistently well for the past two seasons and we want to achieve the same sort of success this season. I’m looking forward to playing my part in a successful campaign. Being a Goan, to represent FC Goa is a proud moment for me.”

The Dempo midfielder Sahil Tavora is the latest signing to be announced. At 17, Tavora was one of the youngest players ever to sign a professional contract with the Golden Eagles. Hehas attended training camps at Liverpool FC and at a second division club in Brazil. The highlight of the youngster’s short career so far came when he scored a brilliant individual goal for Goa-India versus Macau in the 2014 Lusofonia Games.

Fulganco Cardozo hailing from Verna currently plays for Sporting Club de Goa in the I-League and is a member of the Indian national football team as a centre back. Carodozo made his debut for India in the match against Laos earlier this year. He scored his first goal for the India in the same match in 87th minute. Fulganco is a product of the Sesa Football Academy in Goa.

Said Fulganco on the signing “It’s a great opportunity for me in my career development. Playing alongside some of the best talent in football, be it from India or abroad is an excellent opportunity to further develop my footballing skills I feel I have made some positive strides this year and I hope I can continue in the same vein during the ISL. As a team, we want to go out there and perform for the Goan people. We want to bring the trophy home for them. That will be our aim this season.”

by Abhishek Shukla

FC GOA CONFIRMS THE SIGNING OF SAHIL TAVORA AND FULGANCO CARDOZO

Panaji, 19th AUGUST 2016: FC GOA has confirmed the signings of Goan players Sahil Tavora and Fulganco Cardozo for Season 3 of the Hero Indian Super League.

Local lad Sahil Tavora is FC Goa’s selection for the U-23 player that every ISL squad is mandated to have. The 21-year-old has been plying his trade with Dempo previously and was part of the team that gained promotion to the I-League earlier in the year

Speaking of his new team Tavora said, “I’m delighted at the prospect of signing for the club. This is a team that is led by one of the greats of the game and there is a lot to learn from. It is packed with experienced players and I’m excited at the opportunity of working with them. We have performed consistently well for the past two seasons and we want to achieve the same sort of success this season. I’m looking forward to playing my part in a successful campaign. Being a Goan, to represent FC Goa is a proud moment for me.”

The Dempo midfielder Sahil Tavora is the latest signing to be announced. At 17, Tavora was one of the youngest players ever to sign a professional contract with the Golden Eagles. Hehas attended training camps at Liverpool FC and at a second division club in Brazil. The highlight of the youngster’s short career so far came when he scored a brilliant individual goal for Goa-India versus Macau in the 2014 Lusofonia Games.

Fulganco Cardozo hailing from Verna currently plays for Sporting Club de Goa in the I-League and is a member of the Indian national football team as a centre back. Carodozo made his debut for India in the match against Laos earlier this year. He scored his first goal for the India in the same match in 87th minute. Fulganco is a product of the Sesa Football Academy in Goa.

Said Fulganco on the signing “It’s a great opportunity for me in my career development. Playing alongside some of the best talent in football, be it from India or abroad is an excellent opportunity to further develop my footballing skills I feel I have made some positive strides this year and I hope I can continue in the same vein during the ISL. As a team, we want to go out there and perform for the Goan people. We want to bring the trophy home for them. That will be our aim this season.”

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Mohun Bagan edge past Bhawanipore to reclaim the top spot

By Debabrata Majumder

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan held on to Thangjam Saran Singh’s first half goal to edge past Bhawanipore Club 1-0 in the ongoing CFL Premier Division -A, on Thursday at Mohun Bagan Ground.

With this victory, Mohun Bagan have now moved up to the summit of the CFL with 12 points from 4 games, while Bhawanipore remain 0n ninth with a solitary point from as many games.

Heading into the game, Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty named an unchanged line-up from the one that beat Southern Samity 1-0 on Sunday. Meanwhile, his counterpart Debjit Ghosh made four changes with Suman Malo, Debayan Saha, Bijendra Rai and Abubakar Al-Hassan coming in for Jony Routh, Satish Singh, Jagannath Sana and Orok Orok Essien.

Both the sides started off brightly, initiating several moves, however it was Mohun Bagan who shot into the early lead in the 7th minute when Azharudin Mallick sent a perfect cross from the right side for Saran who made no mistake to slot the ball home.

Four Minutes later Saran came teasingly close to scoring his brace, however his effort off a Tapan Maity pass missed the target by a whisker.

Bhawanipore also had their chance around midway through the first half, but Manorajan Singh’s header  from Tirthankar Sarkar’s free-kick was nicely saved by Mohun Bagan custodian Arnab Das Sarma.

Towards the end of the half, Mohun Bagan came with a few good moves but Bhawanipore managed to hold on defending deep as the first half ended 1-0.

The second half brought the best out of Bhawanipore as they had majority of possession and put a lot of pressure on Mohun Bagan who sat back and looked to counter the attack.

Soon after the break, Bhawanipore introduced Sana in place of Suman to give more thrust in the attack.

The first real chance of the second half fell for Bhawanipore through Bijendra who had a chance at goal in the 51st minute but his shot went wide.

Six minute later, Mohun Bagan had a chance to finish the game but Zohib Islam Amiri, who replaced Robinson Singh to make his club debut, hit the woodwork from a free-kick just outside the box

However, the best chance of the game fell for Bhawanipore in the 79th minute when Lalkamal Bhowmick played a long ball for Sana on the left side but the winger unbelievably failed to slot home after dribbling past the goalkeeper.

From there on, Mohun Bagan focused on their defence at large not to allow the opposition to level things up. With the Mohun Bagan defence standing tall right through the match, Bhawanipore finished yet another closely contested encounter on the losing end.

Mohun Bagan will face Peerless SC next on August 22 at Mohun Bagan Ground while Bhawanipore will take on the same opponent on August 26 at Barasat Stadium.

Photo By Ujjal Sarkhel.

by Abhishek Shukla

DSK Shivajians FC Sign Former Irish Youth International Shane McFaul

 

Pune, India – DSK Shivajians Football Club have announced the signing of former Irish youth international Shane McFaul for a two-year term (2016-18). The midfielder joins the Pune-based squad after plying his trade in England, United States of America, Finland and Ireland.

His playing career so far has been decorated with two major honours with Irish sides. The first being an FAI Cup winner with Sporting Fingal (2009), followed by the League of Ireland Premier Division title with Dublin-based St. Patrick’s Athletic FC in 2013.

Other teams Shane has represented during his career include; Notts County and Brighton & Hove Albion FC in England and Finland Premier League sides FC KTP (Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat) and FC Haka.

For the record, Shane has been capped numerous times as a youth player at various levels (Under 14 to 21) for the Republic of Ireland.

The 30-year-old is a ball-winning midfielder who is equally adept distribution and thus, becomes the second foreign player to be signed by DSK Shivajians FC for the season ahead. Earlier, the club renewed the contract of Spaniard winger Juan Quero.

The central midfielder began his career playing local club football in Ireland when he caught the eye of League One side Notts County, and was promoted to the senior squad in 2002 at the age of 16. In 2005, he moved to American side Virginia Beach Mariners, where he spent a year, before signing for UCD Dublin. In January 2008, he signed for Brighton and Hove Albion FC where he made his debut in a 3-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra.

Later that year, he sealed a move back to UCD Dublin before moving to Sporting Fingal for the 2009-10 season. He then moved to St. Patrick’s Athletic FC in 2011. In 2012, he had a successful stint in Finland with FC Haka which led to St Patick’s Athletic FC bringing him back for another season. In 2014, he signed for FC KTP in Finland and captained the side in 2016 and played a major part in their promotion-winning campaign, before turning his eyes to the Indian subcontinent and landing a contract at DSK Shivajians FC.

First Team Manager Dave Rogers, said: “I am thrilled to have signed Shane McFaul. I have monitored Shane’s progress since he was a young player in the League of Ireland Premier Division and his rise and progress in England and Finland.

Shane is a fantastic leader on and off the pitch and an all round midfield player possessing all the attributes I was looking for. His profile and character makes him the perfect signing in my philosophy and direction on how I intend to take the club forward.

He possesses excellent game intelligence and awareness both in and out of possession. Shane’s influence and passion will be felt throughout the whole club especially the younger players who have developed through our academy system. His presence, knowledge and sole professionalism will have a positive impact overall.

I look forward to working with Shane daily and in the long term.”

Shirish Kulkarni, President, DSK Shivajians FC, added: “I would like to welcome Shane to India, the DSK family and wish him all the very best for the season ahead. Shane’s experience of playing several leagues in Europe will help with the balance of the squad. He will have an important role to play and has a lot to offer.”

Shane McFaul expressed his joy at signing for DSK Shivajians FC. “I am absolutely honoured to have this amazing opportunity to come and play for DSK Shivajians FC.

It was always something I wanted to do… come and play in Asia as I’ve played in many other footballing cultures and now, in India.

Once I spoke to Dave about his plans and the project I knew at once I really wanted to be part of this club.

I know the I-League is a growing league and I am very excited for the new season as Manager Dave Rogers is assembling a top quality squad for the season. There are a lot of talented young players and many internationals players.

I’ve been blown away by the facilities at DSK, the best of any club that I have played for.

With the experience Dave (Rogers) and Barry (Knowles) have, I know I am going to improve so much as a player and I am sure we are going to have a strong campaign.”

McFaul has already joined the squad for pre-season at the DSK Dream City Football Fields.

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CFL: Mohammedan SC thrash Geore Telegraph 4-1; move to third in the table

BARASAT: Mohammedan Sporting Club thrashed George Telegraph 4-1 to log their third win in the ongoing Calcutta Premier Division – A, at Barasat Stadium on Wednesday.

The Black Panthers, who lead 2-0 at the interval, scored through Manvir Singh (10th & 31st), Atinder Mani (49th) and Parminder Singh (90+3rd) while Rajib Shaw (84th) pulled a goal back for George Telegraph.

Going into the match coach Mridul Banerjee fielded a unchanged team from the previous match against Bhawanipore Club.

Mohammedan SC started off aggresively and surged ahead within just ten minutes into the game when Manvir slotted off a Dipendu Dowary pass.

Having scored, Mohammedan SC increased pressure on the rival defense and their pressure yielded another goal just past the half hour mark when Manvir scored from Atinder’s pass to give his team a two goal advantage before half time.

Mridul Banerjee’s men began the second half strongly and just four minutes into the half they virtually finished off the match after Atinder converted from a brilliant through ball played by Leonce Dodoz inside the George Telegraph box.

Thereafter, Mohammedan SC dominated majority of the proceedings and in the process several chances fell for Dodoz and Manvir but the duo lacked finish in the final third, otherwise the scoreline would have been much bigger.

While Mohammedan SC pressed high up, George Telegraph managed to pull a goal back against the run of the play when Rajib capitalised on a defensive error to beat Mohammedan SC keeper Shayon Roy.

Then, substitute Parminder, who replaced Manvir, rounded off the tally scoring from Dodoz’s pass in the added time.

After this win Mohammedan SC moved up to the third spot with 9 points from 4 games while Geore Telegaraph remain at tenth with a solitary point from as many games.

Mohammedan SC will take on Aryan Club next on Saturday (20th August) at the same venue.

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CFL: Mohun Bagan set to take on Bhawanipore Club

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan will be aiming for all three points when they face Bhawanipore Club in the ongoing Calcutta Premier Division – A at the Barasat Stadiun on Thursday.

Both teams come into this game on the back of contrasting results. While Mohun Bagan won all three of their previous games Bhawanipore have suffered consecutive defeats.

“We have got off to a good start but can’t take anything for granted. All teams are capable of getting results, so we will need to stay focused on the task at hand,” said Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty.

Facing Bhawanipore, The Mariners are expected to start with a unchanged starting XI from the previous match aganist Southern Samity. Darryl Duffy will be pairing Azaharuddin Mallick upfront. Prabir Das will be marshalling in the midfield beside Saran Singh, Tapan Maity and Robinson Singh. Raju Gaikward will continue to helm the defense alongwith Sanjay Balmuchu while Sarthok Golui and Tanmoy Das will start as fullbacks, with Arnab Das Sharma under the frame. Meanwhile, latest signing Zohib Islam Amiri will start on the bench.

Bhawanipore, on the other hand, have had a utterly disappointing campaign so far, as they have only managed to accumulate a solitary point from three games and it’s quite certain that the Debjit Ghosh-led side, who are already in the relegation zone, will also come hard at Mohun Bagan for full points to allow themselves some breathing space in the table.

Going into the game, Bhawanipore will be heavily depending on the Nigerian striker pair of Orok Orok Essien and Abubakar Al-Hassan for goals upfront while the likes of Shylo Malsawmtluanga, Manish Bhargav and Tirthankar Sarkar will be adding to the options in the midfield.

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

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Mohammedan SC thrash Geore Telegraph 4-1; move to third in the table

By Debabrata Majumder

BARASAT: Mohammedan Sporting Club thrashed George Telegraph 4-1 to log their third win in the ongoing Calcutta Premier Division – A, at Barasat Stadium on Wednesday.

The Black Panthers, who lead 2-0 at the interval, scored through Manvir Singh (10th & 31st), Atinder Mani (49th) and Parminder Singh (90+3rd) while Rajib Shaw (84th) pulled a goal back for George Telegraph.

Going into the match coach Mridul Banerjee fielded a unchanged team from the previous match against Bhawanipore Club.

Mohammedan SC started off aggresively and surged ahead within just ten minutes into the game when Manvir slotted off a Dipendu Dowary pass.

Having scored, Mohammedan SC increased pressure on the rival defense and their pressure yielded another goal just past the half hour mark when Manvir scored from Atinder’s pass to give his team a two goal advantage before half time.

Mridul Banerjee’s men began the second half strongly and just four minutes into the half they virtually finished off the match after Atinder converted from a brilliant through ball played by Leonce Dodoz inside the George Telegraph box.

Thereafter, Mohammedan SC dominated majority of the proceedings and in the process several chances fell for Dodoz and Manvir but the duo lacked finish in the final third, otherwise the scoreline would have been much bigger.

While Mohammedan SC pressed high up, George Telegraph managed to pull a goal back against the run of the play when Rajib capitalised on a defensive error to beat Mohammedan SC keeper Shayon Roy.

Then, substitute Parminder, who replaced Manvir, rounded off the tally scoring from Dodoz’s pass in the added time.

After this win Mohammedan SC moved up to the third spot with 9 points from 4 games while Geore Telegaraph remain at tenth with a solitary point from as many games.

Mohammedan SC will take on Aryan Club next on Saturday (20th August) at the same venue.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Mohun Bagan set to take on Bhawanipore Club

By Debabrata Majumder

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan will be aiming for all three points when they face Bhawanipore Club in the ongoing Calcutta Premier Division – A at the Barasat Stadiun on Thursday.

Both teams come into this game on the back of contrasting results. While Mohun Bagan won all three of their previous games Bhawanipore have suffered consecutive defeats.

“We have got off to a good start but can’t take anything for granted. All teams are capable of getting results, so we will need to stay focused on the task at hand,” said Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty.

Facing Bhawanipore, The Mariners are expected to start with a unchanged starting XI from the previous match aganist Southern Samity. Darryl Duffy will be pairing Azaharuddin Mallick upfront. Prabir Das will be marshalling in the midfield beside Saran Singh, Tapan Maity and Robinson Singh. Raju Gaikward will continue to helm the defense alongwith Sanjay Balmuchu while Sarthok Golui and Tanmoy Das will start as fullbacks, with Arnab Das Sharma under the frame. Meanwhile, latest signing Zohib Islam Amiri will start on the bench.

Bhawanipore, on the other hand, have had a utterly disappointing campaign so far, as they have only managed to accumulate a solitary point from three games and it’s quite certain that the Debjit Ghosh-led side, who are already in the relegation zone, will also come hard at Mohun Bagan for full points to allow themselves some breathing space in the table.

Going into the game, Bhawanipore will be heavily depending on the Nigerian striker pair of Orok Orok Essien and Abubakar Al-Hassan for goals upfront while the likes of Shylo Malsawmtluanga, Manish Bhargav and Tirthankar Sarkar will be adding to the options in the midfield.

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

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL: FC Goa confirms the signing of Mandar Rao Dessai, Romeo Fernandes and Laxmikant Kattimani

 

Panaji, 17 th AUGUST 2016: FC GOA has confirmed a trio of signings with the club tying up deals for Romeo Fernandes, Mandar Rao Dessai and Laxmikanth Kattimani. The trio have risen sharply through the ranks in the past two seasons and are seen as vital components of the team. All three players featured heavily last season with Kattimani being Zico’s preferred choice as his custodian between the sticks.

The Vasco lad said, “I’m very pleased that Zico has trusted me with the responsibilities in between the sticks again. The setup last year was great and that was one of the prime reasons for me re- signing with the club. And one doesn’t get to experience the atmosphere of Fatorda anywhere else in the country so that was a definite plus. We nearly won the ISL last year in front of our home crowd but fell just short. I’m sure this year we will mount a similar challenge. We want to give Goa the trophy that the fans of football here so richly deserve.” Dessai was also a key figure with the club and chipped in with two assists to go along with his three goals and made 14 appearances in a campaign that nearly culminated in the club winning the title. He has since gone on to start in Dempo’s successful push to return to the 1 st Division of the I-League and has recently returned from a trip to Spain where he worked with Spanish La Liga side, Villareal.

Speaking of his re-signing, Mandar said, “I’m delighted to re-sign with the club. Being a Goan and to be able to play in front of my home crowd is a thrill that I can’t easily explain. I feel like I’ve been improving my skills with each passing game and can’t wait to get into the season. The training camp in Spain with Villarreal was a huge boost for me and certainly learnt a lot there under Carlos Perez, who coached me there. I believe, with Zico back and with a good pre-season ahead of us, the team will look to go all the way this time.”

Fernandes, who shot to fame in the first season of the ISL was also a constant menace on the right wing throughout the season. His ability to accelerate was particularly felt by Delhi Dynamos, against whom he scored two goals in the matter of minutes having just come on in the final match of the group stages. He was also responsible for laying on the assist that got FC Goa on level terms in the final at Fatorda.

The Assolna native said, “I’m happy to be back at FC Goa again. We’ve had two brilliant campaigns in the past two editions and we certainly want to repeat that performance if not better it. We had great team chemistry last year and we were very focused on our objectives. We want to work up that same intensity during pre-season and we want to be in prime shape when the campaign gets underway.”

Speaking at the re-signing of the trio, a spokesperson of the club said, “We are delighted that the three have re-signed with us. They have been a part of this club and its journey since the very beginning and have grown with us. They have become a part of the identity of this club and we are glad that they will continue to be a part of that this season. It’s great that we continue to have that distinct Goan flavour within the team.”

FC GOA PRESS RELEASE

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: East Bengal edge past United SC in a seven goal thriller

By Debabrata Majumder

BARASAT: East Bengal came from behind twice to log a thrilling 4-3 win over United Sports Club in the ongoing CFL Premier Division – A on Tuesday at Barasat Stadium.

United SC took the lead through Manotosh Chakladar (16th), only for Lalrindika Ralte (49th) to restore the parity for East Bengal, but two quick goals from Bello Rasaq (54th) and Suhair VP (64th) gave United SC a 3-1 lead. However, the Red & Golds showed charecter in the later stages of the game and a goal each from Do Dong Hyun (74th), Arnab Mondal (79th) and Lalrindika (89th) settled the closely contested tie in East Bengal’s favour.

Going into the game East Bengal coach Trevor Morgan made three changes to the starting XI from the previous match. While Dibyendu Sarkar replaced Luis Barreto under the bar, Gurwinder Singh and Nikhil Poojary filled in for injured Rahul Bheke and Mehtab Hossain respectively.

United SC started off brightly and created some half chances early on through Amod Mahato and Sankar Oraon who failed to capitalize.

However it did not take long for United SC to find the breakthrough as Manatosh scored with a rasping drive just past the 15th minute mark to put his team ahead first time in the season.

Meanwhile, East Bengal also had their chances throughout the half but the finish was lacking from strikers Jiten Murmu and Somide Adelaja as the first-half ended with United SC leading by a solitary goal.

East Bengal began the second-half with intent and within just four minutes into the session the Red & Golds found themselves back on level when Lalrindika slotted from an inch perfect pass delivered by Avinash Ruidas.

However two quick goals in just ten minutes from Bello and Suhair gave the Purple Brigade a 3-1 advantage.

First it was Bello who converted a spot-kick, awarded to United SC after East Bengal custodian Dibyendu brought down Amod in the prohibited area. Then Suhair scored off a Budhiram Tudu pass to give his team a two goal cushion.

Needing goals, East Bengal introduced striker Dong replacing defender Calum Angus in the 63rd minute. The move had an immediate impact as East Bengal suddenly started to look more purposeful and eventually snached a victory from the jaws of defeat, scoring three goals in the final 15 minutes of the game.

Dong reduced the margin when he slotted a spot-kick in the 74th minute. The penalty was awarded to East Bengal after Bello fouled Lalrindika inside the box.

Having scored, East Bengal increased pressure on the rival defense which eventually paid off as they equalised through Arnab five minutes later when the defender headed home from a right sided corner taken by Avinash.

Then Lalrindika netted the winner with just one minute left in the regulation time. Adelaja delivered a brilliant ball inside the United SC box and Lalrindika made no mistake in slotting a left-footer home which saw his team walking out with full three points.

After this thrilling win East Bengal reclaimed the top position with 12 points from 4 games while United SC stay rooted at bottom without a point from the same number of matches.

East Bengal XI: Dibyendu Sarkar; Callum Angus (Dong Hyun Do – 63′), Gurwinder Singh, Arnab Mondal, Narayan Das; Nikhil Poojary (Prohlad Roy – 28′), Mohammed Rafique, Lalrindika Ralte, Avinash Ruidas (Robert Lalthalmuana – 91′); Somide Adelaja, Jiten Murmu.

United SC XI: Sangram Mukherjee; Santu Singh, Bello Rasaq, Lucky Ejiofor, Sujay Oraon; Amod Mahato, Manotosh Chakladar, Mohammed Rashid K, Shankar Oraon; Suhair VP, Budhiram Tudu.

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CFL: Mohammedan SC look to maintain consistency against George Telegraph

KOLKATA: Mohammedan Sporting Club will be playing their fourth match of the ongoing 2016/17 Calcutta Premier Division – A, as they take on George Telegraph SC at Barasat Stadium on Wednesday.

While Mohammedan SC managed to edge past Bhawanipore Club 1-0 in their last fixture on Saturday, George Telegraph, in contrast, suffered a massive 4-0 defeat at the hands of Mohun Bagan midweek.

Coached by Mridul Banerjee, Mohammedan SC began their campaign with a win over Army XI, before suffering a narrow defeat against Tollygunge Agragami. However, The Black Panthers bounced back to the winning ways against Bhawanipore and coach Banerjee made it clear that he wants nothing but consistency in performance from the team.

“The previous game against Bhawanipore was a tough one. We played some good football but also missed a lot of chances. We need to learn from every game and improve going forward,” coach Banerjee said.

Currently, fifth in the table with six points from three games, this match is of big significance for Mohammedan SC as a win put them right at the top while anything less will hurt their chances of winning the league.

George Telegraph, on the other hand, have had a utterly disappointing campaign so far, as they have only managed to accumulate a solitary point from three games and it’s quite certain that the Georgians, who are already in the relegation zone, will also come hard at Mohammedan SC for full points to allow themselves some breathing space in the table.

The Ranjan Bhattachatya led side have built their team with mostly young players with Babatunde Ayomide Badmus, Bayi Kamo Stephane and John Ampong three foreigners in the side.

“George Telegraph is a good team, even though they have lost their last match by a big margin but they have played some good football in that game as well so we are not taking them lightly and expecting a tough match,” coach Banerjee added.

On the team news front, Mohammedan SC has been boosted by the return of wingers Imran Khan and Sheikh Faiaz, who made their way back into the match day squad after missing the last game due to injury.

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

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IFA to observe 36th Football Lovers’ Day on Tuesday

Kolkata: It was August 16, 1980 when a grimmest tragedy occurred in the football field which shocked the entire nation as it claimed the lives of as many sixteen football lovers at a stampede during a match between the arch-rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

In the aftermath of the tragic event, thousands of well meaning lovers of the beautiful game and the people from all walks of life assembled to offer the gift of their blood voluntarily.

The 36th occasion of the Football Lovers’ Day — observed by The Indian Football Association (W.B) — will be held as usual on 16 August, 2016 (Tuesday) at the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata. The blood donation camp will start at 9.00 am. and continue till 6.00 pm.

The first ever Football Lovers’ Day was observed in 1981 where a total number of 1203 people donated their blood and since 2010 the Football Lovers’ Day has been observed by the District Football Associations as well.

Association of Voluntary Blood Donors, West Bengal has been entrusted by The Indian Football Association (W.B.) for management of the said camp like previous years Govornment Blood Banks of West Bengal will take part for collection of blood from the donors.

This year each donor will be presented with a certificate of honour signed by former India international football Sri Pradip Chowdhury with a ceremonial badge of IFA.

It is heartening that football lovers in the Districts and Sub-Divisions have also been inspired to observe the day in a similar manner in their respective places. This year the following such organizations have come forward to observe the day.

1. Ujjiban Voluntary Blood Donors Society, Hindusthan Cables, Bardhaman.

2. Chittaranjan Selfless Service Society, Chittaranjan, Bardhaman.

3. Siliguri Welfare Organisation, Darjeeling.

4. Ghatal Voluntary Blood Donors Association, Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur.

5. Taki Aryan Club, Taki, North 24 Parganas.

6. Kulti Town Social Welfare Committee, Kulti, Burdwan.

7. Tamluk Voluntary Blood Donors Association, Tamluk, Purba Medinipur.

8. Purulia Town Club, Purulia.

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CFL: Tollygunge go atop; beat Mohammedan SC 2-1

KOLKATA: Mohammedan Sporting Club suffered their first defeat of the season as Tollygunge Agragami beat them 2-1 in their 2016/17 CFL Premier Division – A encounter played at Mohammedan Sporting Ground on Tuesday.

Tollygunge took the lead through Nigerian Kareem Omolaja Nurain in the 27th minute, only for Leonce Dodoz to restore parity for Mohammedan SC in the 35th minute but once again Tollygunge struck through Palsang Lama in 39th minute to console the full three for his side from the important fixture.

Going in to this match Mohammedan SC coach Mridul Banerjee named an unchanged starting XI from the previous match against Army XI. On the other hand, Tollygunge Agragrami coach Ranjan Chowdhury made two change to the team that beat George Telegraph 2-1 by handing starts to defender Kareem, who came in place of striker Alfred Jaryan while Bijoy Mandi filled in for Reisangmei Vashum.

The Black Panthers dominated the game in the opening minutes, kepping the possession they placed a lot of attacks into the Tollygunge box, but it was the lack of finishing that let them down.

Meanwhile, Tollygunge took the lead against the run of play thanks to a gorgeous free-kick from Kareem in the 27th minute. The free-kick was awarded to Tollygunge after Lancine Toure brought down Joel Sunday just outside the Mohammedan SC box.

Having scored, Tollygunge pressed hard for an insurance goal leaving lots of gaps in the process, which Mohammedan SC exploited as Dodoz slotted the equaliser in the 35th minute.

Manvir Singh, from left side, delivered a low cross inside the Tollygunge box for Dodoz, who converted with his right foot to score his first goal in the new club.

Thereafter, both team tried hard to get the breakthrough and Tollygunge did find it four minutes later through Lama. This time around Kareem turned provider as he delivered a delightful cross into the Mohammedan SC box from a free-kick and Lama made no mistake to head home which gave his team a slender 2-1 advantage going into the breather.

Changing over, Mohammedan SC continued to put pressure and held midfield superiority but the muddy surface after heavy rain did not allowed them to play a passing game and Tollygunge defense cleared all the arial attacks with ease.

Tollygunge sikpper Surabuddin Mallcik, who worked with perfect understanding with Sunday and later on Alfred at the left flank, troubled the Mohammedan SC defense throughout the session.

Mohammedan SC, on the other hand, nearly succeeded in finding the equaliser in the 82nd minute but substitute Manjit Singh saw his header denied by Tollygunge custodian Kunzang Bhutia.

The win lifted Tollygunge at the summit of the table on seven points while Mohammedan SC remain on sixth with 3 points.

Mohammedan SC will face Bhawanipore Club in their next fixture on Sunday (August 13) at the same venue while Tollygunge take on Aryan Club on 12 August at Kalyani.

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CFL: Mohammedan SC ready to face Tollygunge challenge

KOLKATA: Mohammedan Sporting Club will look to carry forward their winning form when they face Tollygunge Agragami in their second fixture of the ongoing 2016/17 CFL Premier Division – A on Tuesday.

Mohammedan SC currently at sixth on three points and a win against Tollygunge will take them atop as Mohammedan SC coach Mridul Banerjee hopes nothing less than three points.

Though The Black Panthers defeated a formidable Army XI in their first match but their performance was not up to the mark as Manvir Singh’s lone goal separated the two teams but coach Banerjee stays positive before the clash against Tollygunge who are currently in fourth position with four points.

“We had a good game against Army XI. Despite the heavy ground conditions we played according to our plan and players complimented each other. But that’s past and now our focus is only on the match against Tollygunge,” coach Banerjee said on the eve of the clash.

Coach Banerjee further stated that his team needs to convert their chances and can not tend to miss any opportunities against a strong Tollygunge side. Striker Leonce Dodoz played a stellar role in the win against Army XI and coach Banejee is hoping to see a repeat act from the Ivorian.

Tollygunge, on the other hand, who are coming into the game beating George Telegraph 2-1 in their last game, are looking to repeat the performance.

The Ranjan Chowdhury coached side banks heavily on the strike pair of Joel Sunday and Alfred Jrayn for the goals upfront. Joining them will be the likes of Ram Malik, Reisangmei Vashum and skipper Surabuddin Mallick who will provide options in the attack.

“It will be a crucial match and we need to collect full points against Tollygunge who are playing well. They are a good side and they have three very good foreign players. But we are prepared for the match and hoping for three points,”  coach Banerjee added.

For the record, Mohammedan SC have not won against Tollygunge in their previous two encounters of the CFL Premier Division and The Black Panthers hoping for it’s third time lucky on the morrow.

The game at Mohammedan Sporting Club Ground kicks off at 3.00 pm on Tuesday and it will be televised on ETV News Bangla.

Photo By Ujjal Sarhel.

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CFL: East Bengal log consecutive wins; beat Peerless 2-0

KALYANI: A improved performance by East Bengal facilitated them to beat Peerless Peerless Sports Club 2-0 in their second fixture of the ongoing 2016/17 CFL Premier Division – A at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium on Sunday.

Trevor Morgan’s men scored both goals in the first-half through Rahul Bheke (18th) and skipper Arnab Mondal (30th).

The win took East Bengal to the top with six points from two outings while Peerless slip to third position with four points.

Going into the game East Bengal made a couple of changes in the starting XI that beat Bhawanipore midweek. Somide Adelaja replaced Lalrindika Ralte to make his club debut while Arnab came in for Calum Angus. Peerless coach Fuja Tope also made two change by bringing in latest signing Ugochukwu Godswill and Kallol Paul who replaced Eze Kingsley and Sharukh Rahman respectively.

It was a bright start by the Hexa Champions, but Peerless defended deep in numbers, leaving the the Red & Golds trying their luck from range.

East Bengal had their first attempt on the rival goal in the 8th minute when Do Dong Huyn tried a long range shot which missed the target by a few inches.

Meanwhile, Peerless did have their chances but strikers Ghanefo Kromah and Rahim Nabi both failed to convert their chances.

East Bengal almost pulled ahead in the 17th minute but Arnab saw his header hit the woodwork from Mehtab Hossain’s corner. However, East Bengal broke the deadlock in the very next minute when Bheke successfuly head home another corner of Mehtab.

Having scored, East Bengal increased their pressure and attacked the rival goal ferociously going close on a few occasions. East Bengal’s pressure yielded another goal when Arnab got on the scoresheet.

At the half hour mark, the game had it’s moment of deja vu as Mehtab once again sent in a corner from the right side but unlike the last time Arnab made no mistake to head past Peerless keeper Sankar Roy.

Two minutes later East Bengal had a golden opportnuity to wrap the game as Peerless defender Akhil Rajbanshi tipped Dong inside the box and referee Animesh Biswas immediately signalled for a penalty kick. However, Sankar pulled off a magnificent save by diving on his left to deny Dong.

The second half saw more of the midfield battle. Though East Bengal kept the pressure on and had a few half chances through Dong and Adelaja but the Peerless defense managed to clear the attacks.

East Bengal, Around the hour mark, had another chance when Rafique and Avinash Ruidas did well to combine with quick passes just outside the Peerless box. Rafique with a clever touch sent Avinash clear on the right, but a timely tackle from Ugochukwu saw danger averted.

Towards the end, Peerless desperately tried to push up to get something out of the fixture, but East Bengal held on to their two goal advantage to seal a well deserved win.

East Bengal will face Army XI next on 12 August at Barasat Stadium while Peerless take on United Sports Club on at the same venue a day before.

 

East Bengal XI- Luis Barreto, Rahul Bheke, Arnab Mondal, Gurwinder Singh, Narayan Das, Abinash Ruidas (Robert Lalthalmuana – 73′), Dong Hyun Do (Callum Angus – 72′), Mehtab Hossein, Mohammed Rafique, Jiten Murmu, Somide Adelaja.

Peerless SC XI- Shankar Roy, Arijit Bagui, Ugochukwu Godswill, Akhil Rajbangshi, Irfan Khan, Arghya Chakravarty, Kallol Pal (Rahul Jaiswal – 74′), Sukhwinder Singh, Anil Kisku (Laxmi Kant Mandi – 54′), Syed Rahim Nabi (Sourav Mallick – 86′), Ghanefo Kromah.

Photo By Santanu Biswas.

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CFL: Duffy scores hat-trick on debut as Bagan rout Aryan 5-1 in season opener

KOLKATA: Darryl Duffy scored hat-trick on his club debut as Mohun Bagan rout Aryan Club 5-1 on Saturady to open their Calcutta Premier Division – A campaign at Mohun Bagan Ground.

Mohun Bagan, who were 1-0 up at half time, scored through Pabir Das (15th minute), Duffy (63rd & 73rd) and Azharuddin Mallick (77th). Meanwhile, Kazeem Amobi (88th) claimed the consolation goal for Aryan.

Going into the game Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty handed club debuts to Tonmoy Ghosh, Tapan Maity, Robinson Singh and Duffy while Ajay Singh, Amandeep Singh and Chinta Chandrashekhar Rao came on as second-half substitutes. While Duffy had Azharuddin to company in upfront, Tapan, Robinson, Prabir and Pankaj Moula formed the midfield, with skipper Raju Gaikwad partnered Sanjay Balmuchu in central defense and Tonmoy and Sarthak Golui started as wingbacks in a 4-4-2 formetion.

Bagan were aggressive from the beginning as they played with quick short passes followed by long balls from the flanks that caught the Aryan defense napping. Prabir worked with perfect understanding with Duffy on the left flank, which saw him score one and assist two.

The Mariners had the first chance of the game in the 6th minute when Sarthak attempted a long ranger which sailed over the bar. However, it doesn’t take long for Bagan to go ahead when Prabir scored off an Azharuddin pass.

Aryan’s response came almost immediately as Chattu Mondal’s attempted free-kick was tipped over by Bagan custodian Arnab Das Sarma for a corner in the 17th minute.

Thereafter, Mohun Bagan had several attacks on the Aryan goal but for all their efforts Mohun Bagan were unable to add to their tally in the remainder of the first-half.

The second-half was a different story altogether, Mohun Bagan began to look more purposeful than in the first-half. Seven minutes into the session, Mohun Bagan almost doubled their lead but Azharuddin’s shot from inside was blocked by Aryan defender Emanuel Chigozie.

The constant pressure paid off as Aryan conceded a free-kick just outside the penalty box after Emanuel brought down Duffy. The Scot stepped up and deposited into the back of the net to made it 2-0.

Just before Aryan could realise their gaping loopholes, Duffy, who later named Man of the Match, banged in another within a space of three minutes after recieving a pass from Prabir.

There was no respite for Aryan in the second-half as Duffy completed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute. Prabir once again came up with a well measured cross into the goalmouth, and Duffy was provided with enough space and time to head home.

Azharuddin then made it 5-0 in the 77th minute when he slammed the ball into the net off an pass from Robinson.

Meanwhile, Aryan reduced the margin in the 88th minute when substitute Kazeem headed past Arnab.

Mohun Bagan face George Telegraph next on August 10 at the same venue while Aryan takes on Tollygunge Agragami on August 12 at Barasat Stadium.

Report & Photo By Debabrata Majumder.