Category: News

by Abhishek Shukla

IOC President leads sports world in support of displaced people at Global Refugee Forum

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach today announced the Joint Sport Pledge on behalf of the Sport for Refugees Coalition at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, addressing heads of state, ambassadors, refugees and the wider humanitarian sector. The pledge commits USD 45 million to benefit 500,000 displaced people. 

President Bach, who also chairs the IOC’s Olympic Refuge Foundation, presented the Joint Sport Pledge on behalf of more than 100 organisations, including over 40 National Olympic Committees and International Federations, as well as governments, refugee-led organisations, UN agencies, civil society organisations, private sector representatives and beyond.

Speaking at the event, the IOC President said: “Sport is about so much more than physical activity. Sport is empowerment. Sport is health. Sport is inclusion. Sport is respect. Sport is solidarity. Sport is belonging. Sport is peace.

“This is what brings our Coalition together: a belief in the power of sport as a force for good in the world. With far too many wars and conflicts displacing millions of people on a scale we have never seen before, this power of sport has never been more important. Sport is a low-cost, high-impact tool, especially for displaced young people, to find belonging; to empower them; to rebuild their lives and to shape their own future.”

He added: “The message of our pledge is clear: sport is supporting displaced people around the world. Above all else, this is a team effort. Everyone can and must play their part. It has never been more urgent to include sport in Refugee Response Frameworks, in budgets for National Action Plans and in your long-term development strategies. This is why, today, I am extending the hand of the Sport for Refugees Coalition to all of you. Let us join hands and work together for, and with refugees.”

President Bach’s appearance before the Forum was followed by him introducing the parallel high-level event “Breaking Barriers: Realising the Potential of Sport for Inclusion and Protection”, where the Paris 2024 Refugee Olympic Team Chef de Mission, Masomah Ali Zada, and Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Refugee Olympic Team swimmer Yusra Mardini both made contributions.

The event took a deeper dive into the work of the entities involved and was co-hosted by the Government of Colombia and the co-convenors of the Sport for Refugees Coalition: the Olympic Refuge Foundation, the Scort Foundation and UNHCR. The attending audience also heard from representatives of the governments of France, Zimbabwe and Colombia, as well as more than 20 other committing organisations.

The IOC President also took the opportunity to outline the IOC’s and Olympic Refuge Foundation’s specific commitments, which include investing USD 15 million to:

  • Support refugee athletes and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, which will for the first time be led by a refugee as its Chef de Mission at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
  • Strengthen positive media narratives around refugees through the global visibility of the Olympic Games, which reach an audience of billions.
  • Promote the mental health and psychosocial well-being of young refugees through sport.
  • Advocate broad support for refugees by building multistakeholder coalitions.

The high-level parallel event was closed by Gillian Triggs, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at UNHCR, who said: “I would like to take a minute to remind us why in particular we’re here, which is the Global Refugee Forum, built on the principles of the Global Compact on Refugees – quite a revolutionary document approved in 2018 by the General Assembly. And what it does is to take two very simple ideas. One is that the responsibility for refugees and displaced people lies with all of us.

“But the other is that this responsibility is shared; it is shared by the whole of society. Those are the aspirations, and it’s quite clear that each of you fully understand that sport is one of the most powerful tools to ensure that level of inclusion.”

Pledging to ensure refugees thrive, through sport

TheMultistakeholder Pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection of Refugees (“Sport Pledge”) outlines the role that sport can play in improving the lives of refugees, including through sports programming, policy change, skills development, and communication and advocacy efforts. The pledge was developed by a dedicated multistakeholder group working on and through sport, and guided by the co-convenors of the Sport for Refugees Coalition.

The commitments made as part of the pledge are as diverse as the pledging entities, and include financial, technical and material support, as well as policy commitments and those that create opportunities for resettlement and complementary pathways.

Through the pledge, entities commit to mobilising resources, expertise and networks to promote access to and opportunities through sport for, and with, displaced people and their host communities, contributing to more inclusive and cohesive societies.

by Abhishek Shukla

Olympian Abhinav Bindra lauds Odisha’s state of the art Sports Science Centre at Kalinga Sports Complex

Bhubaneswar: In yet another significant development for sports in Odisha, the state-of-the-art sports science centre in Kalinga Stadium was inaugurated by Chief Minister, Odisha, Naveen Patnaik on Monday.  The comprehensive facility has been created to support sportspersons and para-sports persons from different sports by leveraging sports science and technology. It will serve as a centre for aiding in rehabilitation and recovery and improving performance of local sports talent and elite athletes from all over India.  

Speaking on the centre, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist highlighted the importance of the initiative. “This is an excellent facility and I believe sports science is the edge that athletes need to thrive at a global level. All global sporting superpowers incorporate sports science at all levels, right from talent identification to elite athlete training.”  

“I wish I had the opportunity during my career to access the wonderful technology and expertise available here. I am sure it would have helped me perform even better”, he further opined.  

The Sports Science Centre houses specialised labs including a Para-Athlete Performance Lab, Biomechanics Lab, Altitude Training Chamber, Cryotherapy and flotation therapy, Bindra lauded the Para Athlete Performance Lab and reiterated its significance.  “Sport is something that champions inclusivity and champions gender equality, it is marvellous to see how Odisha is using sport to imbibe these values in society.  I haven’t personally seen a state-of-the-art para training facility anywhere in the world. The entire facility is very thought through and inclusive and accessible in nature. It is also inspiring to see the number of young girls from Odisha who have taken up sport”, he said.  

While the integration of sports science has become a tenet of Odisha’s sport model, the Olympian appreciated the changing approach to sport, in Odisha, “Odisha is making a commendable effort to change the thought process around sports performance and embedding sports science and technology, not just at the elite level, but at the grassroots level.”  

He further added that focus on sports science is already starting to show with athletes from Odisha. “I had the pleasure of interacting with a few young athletes from Odisha and they were asking interesting questions that were scientific and performance related, even I did not think like that when I was an athlete. It was very heart-warming”.  

On the long-term implications of the Sports Science Centre at the Kalinga Stadium for sports in India, the shooter remarked, “Sports results take time, but I’m happy to see Odisha is on the path to develop many champions going forward. The entire ecosystem is incredible, you walk in here and you are taken to another world. The facility intends to improve the performance of athletes in Odisha, but at the end of the day we are one nation. It is about Indian sports and giving our athletes the best opportunities.” 

by Abhishek Shukla

Tokyo 2020 can provide platform for India’s best Olympic performance – Kiren Rijiju

NEW DELHI, 11 December 2019: Mr Kiren Rijiju, MoS (IC), Youth Affairs and Sports, today expressed hope that upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics will provide India a good platform to have best ever performance in Olympics.

Speaking at the ‘9th Global Sports Summit – TURF 2019, organized by FICCI, jointly with Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Government of Odisha, Mr Rijiju said that Tokyo 2020 is the immediate target for the government. However, there are certain limitations with regard to existing talent. “We can’t create champions overnight as it takes years and need to ensure that there is an entire infrastructure from training to society support in place,” said Mr Rijiju.

He stated that upcoming Paris Olympics in 2024 and Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 will provide a good opportunity to significantly improve India’s performance. “If we can’t prepare for next 8 years then we have to blame ourselves in terms of making policy, setting directions, channelizing resources. We must ensure that India is no more a country which is not taken seriously in Olympics,” added Mr Rijiju.

He said that there is no lack of resources or talent in the country and invited the corporate sector to invest and reap the benefits. “Sports is a glamour as well as big opportunity to do business. There are unlimited opportunities in India, and we must be able to unleash the talent we have,” added Mr Rijiju.

Highlighting the sports potential in various states, Mr Rijiju said that each medium-sized State in India is larger than 50 per cent of the countries on this planet and urged each State to adopt and promote one sport as its core.

Mr Ajmal Ghani, Senior Advisor to the President of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and Founder of Afghanistan Sports Federation said that the government has allocated 150-300 acres of land in 8 different zones to be built and invited Indian companies to invest in sports sector. He said that Afghanistan has some of the most liberal investment laws.

Mr Tusharkanti Behera, Minister of Sports, Government of Odisha, said that the launch of Fit India campaign has made a significant impression on the masses. The state is also setting-up various training centers to target the youth.

Mr Radhey Shyam Julaniya, Secretary, Department of Sports, Government of India said that when fitness industry grows, all things associated with it, whether it is apparel or food industry also grow, and these developments will lead to growth in infrastructure.

Mr Sandip Somany, President, FICCI said that we are the youngest country in the world. This demographic dividend is set to play a big role in making India a $5 trillion economy and fitness will be a critical element in achieving this target.

FICCI-Koan Advisory Knowledge Paper ‘Federated Growth – Unleashing India’s Sports Economy’ and FICCI-IISM Knowledge Paper ‘Weighing Up Fitness: Deep Insights on Indian Fitness Trends’ were also released during the event.

by Abhishek Shukla

FICCI all set to organize its 9th Global Sports Summit “TURF 2019” Powered by FIT INDIA

9th  December 2019, New Delhi: After the successful execution of the summits previous 8 editions, FICCI returns with the highly prestigious Global Sports Summit “TURF” which is slated to be held at the FICCI, Federation house New Delhi on the 11th December, 2019.  This will be the 9th edition of the Global Summit which will witness esteemed sports personalities, administrators and members from the Indian sports fraternity be a part of the event.

These awards are an attempt by FICCI to acknowledge the contribution and felicitate sports achievers and the various stakeholders who co-create the evolving sports ecosystem. This is going to be a platform for strategic dialogue to bring together senior decision-makers and the who’s who of Indian and international sports industry to deliberate on profitable promotion and grassroots development of the sports in the country.

“I would like to congratulate FICCI for their outstanding effort in bringing together the entire sporting fraternity via this platform each year. We are progressing by leaps and bounds as a sporting nation, and it is essential that all stakeholders from the industry come together to discuss the roadmap ahead and galvanize all efforts in making India a sporting superpower,” said the honorable Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju.

“We are happy to be associated with the 9th Global Sports Summit as the official state partner. FICCI Turf has made tremendous efforts to build a strong sports ecosystem in India and as Odisha makes great strides in developing sports talent and infrastructure we are proud to be an integral part of the summit. With all the stakeholders coming together at one place, Indian sports will definitely build on fresh and innovative ideas in the upcoming years,” said Vishal Kumar Dev, Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha.

“We are extremely delighted to host the 9th edition of ‘TURF’. At FICCI it has been our endeavor to offer a platform to all stakeholders from the sporting community, to come together and discuss the future of the industry and  innovation opportunities to build a robust and self-sustainable sports ecosystem in India,” said Deepak Jacob, Chair FICCI Sports Committee.

FICCI is successfully carrying forward its agenda of promoting sports and sports business development in India. The day-long seminar will include sessions on the Fit India movement, sports infrastructure & governance, building fan engagement, sports science and technology amongst others. The session will conclude with the coveted, India Sports Awards honoring excellence in the field of sports across catagories. The awards have been conferred by a jury headed by Mr. Mukul Mudgal retired Indian judge, Delhi High Court and Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The event is powered by FIT INDIA, Partner State: Odisha Government, Summit Partner: Star India, Brand Partners: Tata & Edelweiss

INDIA SPORTS AWARDS –

The Award categories for industry include

·        Best Company Promoting Sports (Public Sector)

·        Best Company promoting sports (Private Sector)

·        Best NGO

·        Best Professional Services Company

·        Best Start-up

The Award categories for federations / players include

·        Best National Sports Federation

·        Sports Person of the Year

·        Para sports person of the year

·        Breakthrough Sports person of the year

·        Comeback of the year

·        Coach or support staff of the year 

·        Team of the year

·        Life time achievement award

by Abhishek Shukla

AIFF, NADA COLLABORATE TO INTRODUCE FIRST-EVER COUNTRY-WIDE ANTI-DOPING WORKSHOPS

NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation (AIFF), in collaboration with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), is set to conduct Anti-Doping Awareness Workshops for all footballers, along with the support staff of all clubs taking part in the Hero Indian Super League and the Hero I-League.

The Mass Athlete Awareness Program Against Doping, which is a NADA educational programme, is set to be a regular fixture from 2019-20 onwards. The NADA-designed programme will be introduced to Indian Football for the first time, and will be held on Saturday, November 23 in Bellary, and on Sunday, November 24 in Bengaluru. The workshops will get underway this month.
 

The programme has been created in order to spread anti-doping awareness among sportspersons and support staff, including all the stakeholders in the Indian Football community, with the aim of decreasing the incidences of doping amongst the Indian athletes and promote fair play.

With a higher awareness about anti-doping, India can take the important step towards eradicating doping from the beautiful game.

by Abhishek Shukla

COACHES HAIL ‘REVOLUTIONARY’ A LICENSE COURSE

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday (November 20, 2019), 12 coaches passed the AFC A Certificate Course after completing three challenging modules – the first of which took place in April earlier this year. Among the successful candidates was former Indian national team captain and current assistant coach Venkatesh Shanmugham, who stated that the course was “challenging yet enjoyable”.

 

He said, “With the updated curriculum, the course was a challenging experience for all of us and also enjoyable at the same time. The increased length of the course — almost 6 months — enabled us to learn more. The exchange of ideas with all the fellow coaches was a great experience as well.”

 

Former India captain and renowned centre-back Gouramangi Singh successfully passed the course as well, calling it “demanding” and mentioned that it “prepared them perfectly” for the real job.

 

Gouramangi, who was named the AIFF Player of the Year in 2010, said, “The course was demanding and had us committed for 6-7 months across three intense modules. From what I understand, there were a lot of positive changes in the practical methodology and theory content from the previous versions — which has been adapted according to a modern approach. I really believe that this course prepared us perfectly for the real job of coaching.”

Firmin D’Souza, who led India to victory last year in the 2018 SAFF U-15 Women’s Championship, was also among the coaches who passed with flying colours and he hailed the course as “revolutionary”.

“The curriculum has improved by leaps and bounds, which has been nothing short of revolutionary. A lot of opinions were shared over these months as we all learned from each other. Along with the theoretical aspect, we learned a lot about the application and practical part of the game,” he said.
 

The coaches reserved a special word of gratitude for the course instructors as well. “The instructors were interactive and empowered us to learn and grow. I would like to thank Savio (Medeira) sir and the other instructors for their invaluable contribution in making us better coaches,” Firmin stated, echoing his colleagues’ sentiments.  

by Abhishek Shukla

Ashalata Devi nominated for AFC Women Player of the year award

MUMBAI: Persepolis FC and Islamic Republic of Iran goalkeeper Ali Reza Safarbeiranvand, Japan’s versatile defender Tomoaki Makino and AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 star Akram Hassan Afif of Qatar lead the nominees for the AFC Player of the Year – Men’s category at the AFC Annual Awards Hong Kong 2019.

Meanwhile at the event to be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Monday, December 2, 2019, China PR’s Li Ying, who was part of the team in the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019, Indian stalwart Ashalata Devi Loitongbam and Japan’s captain Saki Kumagai are the frontrunners for the AFC Player of the Year – Women’s category.

Safarbeiranvand is famously known for saving Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia and he repeated the feat against Oman in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 to lead IR Iran to the semi-finals. He has been an inspirational figure in goal for both club and country but outside the pitch, he remains a strong advocate for social responsibility.

Makino’s commanding presence in the heart of the Urawa Red Diamonds have been one of the key reasons in helping his team keep six clean sheets en-route to reaching the AFC Champions League final. He was also integral in leading the Samurai Blue to their fifth final of the AFC Asian Cup.

Afif is arguably Asia’s brightest prospect and he burst onto the scene at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 where he produced 10 assists – the most in the tournament’s history. He was a figure of consistency for club Al Saad where they reached the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League.

Li, the top scorer in the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, was shortlisted for the AFC Player of the Year- Women’s award after guiding China PR to the Round of 16 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. She also featured prominently for her club Guangdong Huijun F.C, helping the newly promoted side maintain their status in the China Women’s Super League.

Meanwhile, Devi has enjoyed an impressive year by leading India to the Olympic 2020 Qualifiers Round 2 and winning the 2019 SAFF Championship title. The defender was also instrumental in helping her club, Sethu FC, win the Indian Women’s League crown. She was subsequently voted as the Women’s Player of the Year for the 2018-2019 season in the country.

Kumagai has been a force in women’s football after guiding Japan to the Round of 16 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. She also helped Olympique Lyonnais to their fourth consecutive UEFA Women’s Champions League title which led to her nomination for this year’s BBC World Women’s Football of the Year award.

The star-studded cast of nominees (in alphabetical order of MA) for the AFC Annual Awards Hong Kong 2019 are:

AFC Player of the Year (Men)
Ali Reza Safarbeiranvand (Persepolis F.C. and IRN)
Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Red Diamonds and JPN)
Akram Hassan Afif (Al Saad and QAT)

AFC Player of the Year (Women)
Li Ying (Guangdong Huijun F.C and CHN)
Ashalata Devi Loitongbam (Sethu FC and IND)
Saki Kumagai (Olympique Lyonnais and JPN)

AFC Asian International Player of the Year
Sardar Azmoun (IRN)
Makoto Hasebe (JPN)
Son Heung-min (KOR)

AFC Futsal Player of the Year
Mahdi Javid (IRN)
Tomoki Yoshikawa (JPN)
Yushi Sekiguchi (JPN)

AFC Youth Player of the Year (Women)
Karly Roestbakken (AUS)
Wang Linlin (CHN)
Jun Endo (JPN)

AFC Youth Player of the Year (Men)
Hiroki Abe (JPN)
Lee Kang-in (KOR)
Doan Van Hau (VIE)

AFC Coach of the Year (Women)
Katayoun Khosrowyar (IRN)
Asako Takakura (JPN)
Neungrutai Srathongvian (THA)

AFC Coach of the Year (Men)
Tsuyoshi Otsuki (JPN)
Go Oiwa (JPN)
Chung Jungyong (KOR)

AFC Member Association of the Year (Inspiring)
Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran
Japan Football Association
Korea Football Association

AFC Member Association of the Year (Developing)
DPR Korea Football Association
The Hong Kong Football Association LTD.
Football Association of Singapore

AFC Member Association of the Year (Aspiring)
Guam Football Association
Mongolian Football Federation
Yemen Football Association

AFC President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football (Inspiring)
Chinese Football Association
Japan Football Association
Football Association of Malaysia

AFC President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football (Developing)
The Hong Kong Football Association LTD.
All India Football Federation
Football Association of Singapore

AFC President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football (Aspiring)
National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam
Guam Football Association
Palestine Football Association

by Abhishek Shukla

Special Olympics Bharat athletes celebrate Children’s Day with WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair

14 November 2019, Mumbai: On the occasion of Children’s Day, 10-time WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair spent quality time with the children from Special Olympics Bharat as part of her India tour. Charlotte Flair, 30 children and five coaches from Special Olympics Bharat indulged in a host of fun indoor activities to raise awareness for Special Olympics at the ITC Maratha in Mumbai on Thursday, 14 November 2019.

WWE and Special Olympics are dedicated to creating a more inclusive and unified generation. WWE helps empower athletes of all ages and abilities to make great achievements and be recognized for their talents and accomplishments. Through this partnership, WWE also helps to celebrate the differences in each of us and educate and expand the reach of Special Olympics, the organization’s powerful message of inclusion and remarkable athletes to a wider audience through WWE’s worldwide platforms.

Charlotte Flair, had an enriching experience interacting with the Special athletes in Mumbai and was really happy to spend time with them and was touched by their heartwarming smiles.

“For me, the most important thing about being a part of WWE is putting smiles on the kids’ faces. It’s my second time in India and I am very excited to be here. I think sports is the one thing that unites everyone universally and it’s important to celebrate all children since they are the future,” said the WWE Superstar.

by Abhishek Shukla

Blue Tigers ready to overcome challenges and brave adversities against Afghanistan

DUSHANBE (TAJIKISTAN): Hours after arriving in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, India head coach Igor Stimac stated that the Blue Tigers need to overcome “tough challenges” imposed by Afghanistan, besides braving adversities, when they face-off in the Group E encounter of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 preliminary joint Qualification Round 2 match at the Republican Central Stadium in Dushanbe tomorrow (Thursday, November 14, 2019).

“We know how difficult this game is going to be for us. We both (India and Afghanistan) have already faced Qatar and Bangladesh in the qualifiers. We see Afghanistan as a physical side with good composure. They have some players who also have the experience of playing in Europe. They are not in the top division, but playing in Europe always gives you an extra bit of confidence. They have stamina and they’ll pose a tough challenge for us,” Stimac said in the pre-match press conference held in Dushanbe today (November 13) morning.

Dushanbe welcomed the Blue Tigers contingent with chilly weather as the mercury hovered around 6-7° degrees Celsius. However, despite the low temperature, the fighting spirit of the Indian team remains high as ever.

“As a player, you have to be confident and face every challenge head-on. That’s why we are here. Yes, the conditions have not been in our favour to some extent but that won’t have any effect when the referee blows the whistle. If we can execute the coach’s plans on the pitch, we can surely hope for a good result,” a buoyant Pronay Halder voiced at the official press conference.

Meanwhile, experienced centre back Anas Edathodika flew back home late on Tuesday owing to a family emergency. “Anas (Edathodika) is having a tough time. Our thoughts are with him and his family. He has been an instrumental member of the squad and we will miss him. The onus is now on the other players to take the mantle and deliver on the pitch,” Stimac added.

Coach Stimac thanked the Tajikistan FA for their hospitality as well as for providing Afghanistan with the opportunity to host their home games in Dushanbe.

“Thank you very much for welcoming us. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the hospitality and hosting the qualifying games. It’s the first time I’m here in Tajikistan and I have really been enjoying it,” the 52-year-old coach echoed.

The Coach further analysed the Blue Tigers’ last match against Bangladesh as well, saying, “The most difficult games are those when people who are following you, write the result before the game starts. We witnessed it against Qatar as well as Bangladesh. When Bangladesh came, they were defending with 10 players and were looking to counter-attack. Without taking away any credit from them, we earned a point against them. We can’t forget that they were leading until the 87th minute.”

The gaffer also maintained that India’s passion for the beautiful game is changing and the Blue Tigers will try their level best to fulfil the expectations and grab their first win in the joint qualification round.

“We are happy that people in India are following us with lots of passion now. They have a great expectation on us and we’ll try our level best to make them happy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Anoush Dastagiv, Afghanistan Head Coach mentioned though it’s not their own country, they get “confidence” when they play in Dushanbe.

 “Yes, geographically it’s far from own country and we would have been happier if we could have gotten the chance to play in our own country. But, playing in Tajikistan has always given us much-needed confidence. We have beaten Cambodia, Bangladesh here and settled with a draw against Tajikistan, Jordan. Those results will surely give us a psychological boost tomorrow,” Dastagiv said.

“Here, people speak our language. We feel at home. Whenever we play in front of Afghani crowd, we never fail to get positive results. We hope we can get something closer to that tomorrow as well,” he added.

The match is scheduled to kick-off at 7.30 PM IST (7 PM local time). It will be telecast live on the Star Sports network and streamed live online on Hotstar and Jio TV.

by Abhishek Shukla

AU Rajasthan FC launches Residential Academy

Since the last one year, AU Rajasthan Football Club has slowly been catching the sports fraternity’s attention in India (specially in Rajasthan). After a year’s hard work and success, AU Rajasthan FC, in collaboration with Poornima University, has launched a premier football residential academy in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The players for this academy were carefully handpicked by the AU Rajasthan FC team through trials in all major cities in India.

In this new set up, the players from across the country would be staying in a residential facility with top notch facilities like an international size professional football field, fully functional gym, mess, medical room with a 24×7 physiotherapist, library and all other basic needs in terms of training, nutrition, academic, and accommodation. A total package like this is surely going to motivate the youth and the nation as a whole, to take football to new heights in our country.

The event was held at the mesmerizing Poornima campus and was attended by a lot of football enthusiast from the city including players, coaches and parents. Also attending the event were Mr. Sanjay Agarwal, CEO AU small finance bank and Rahul Singhvi, Director Poornima University, who motivated the players with their encouraging words.

On the occasion of the launch, the CEO of the club, Mr. Sohil Bhansali, expressed his gratitude towards Poornima University for sharing the club’s vision of becoming the leading professional club in the country. According to Sohil, the club is attracting talent from all across the country, especially from football friendly states like Assam, Mizoram, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa etc. coming all the way to Jaipur to train with AU Rajasthan Football Club.

Mr. Sanjay Agarwal on the occasion of this historic event, expressed his all out support towards the development of the sport in the state and how his dream of having a player from our state and club to become part of the national team is taking shape in the right direction. Mr. Agarwal focused how AU Small Finance Bank shall leave no stone unturned to provide the best of the infrastructure the young bloods and how only their dedication & determination will help them reach the peak in the footballing world.

Apart from the launch of the residential academy, the club also unveiled its new jersey dedicated  to the induction of Jaipur as an UNSECO world heritage site.  The new jersey in blue proudly shows Jaipur’s most prized possession, The Hawa Mahal on it’s front. This great gesture was loved by everyone present at the event. Mr. Shubham Garg (Director, Spordy Ventures Pvt. Ltd) explained the intention behind this i.e. giving back to the city, by taking this achievement where ever the club goes.

Mr. Garg also spoke about the companies vision for AU Rajasthan FC. The main focus is to develop football in Rajasthan not only as a sport, but as a discipline. There is a lot of talent in remote parts of Rajasthan which with proper support, both technically and otherwise, can boost their growth. The company is currently organising district outreach in which the club will conduct free camps in various districts in Rajasthan to motivate the youth. They are paying close attention on grass root level by training kids under the age of 10 as well, so that they have exposure to sports at an early age. The club is also breaking stereotypes by focusing majorly on women’s team, as a team of 15 girls is being trained regularly at their women’s facility. Mr. Garg also focused on how gradually they aim to host more and more players from all over the country and make an everlasting name for the club in the field of football.

To further add to the celebration, U-13 team of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) were invited to Jaipur to play an exhibition match with AU Rajasthan FC U-13 squad. Players from both the teams showed exceptional zest and skills which the dignitaries, parents and others attending enjoyed.

The other dignitaries present on the occasion of the launch were, Dr.Manish Gupta (Pro Chancellor, Poornima University), Mr. Suresh Chandra (Vice Chancellor, Poornima University) & Mr. Shubham Garg (Director, Spordy Ventures Pvt. Ltd).

by Abhishek Shukla

Sports Ministry will provide extra financial help for Indian football’s growth: Kiren Rijiju

AHMEDABAD: Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Youth Affairs & Sports, and Minister of State for Minority Affairs, affirmed the Ministry of Sports “will provide extra financial help wherever it’s possible” to help Indian Football propel to the next level.

“We have seen certain improvements in our men’s as well as women’s football in recent times. From the sports ministry, we will provide extra financial help wherever it’s possible to scout, and nurture young talents as well as for the professional training, and other events,” Rijiju said in an exclusive interview with AIFF.

Rijiju was speaking on the sidelines of the Intercontinental Cup 2019 in Ahmedabad where he came to cheer for the Blue Tigers.

The 47-year-old minister also didn’t hide his affinity towards football, and declared the Ministry of Sports will put more attention to “better training, coaching, facilities and other requirements.”

“The ministry of sports will provide whatever is required for better training, coaching, facilities, and other demands and requirements whichever will be placed by the AIFF. We’ll always be there. I’m very enthusiastic about supporting any kind of sport in India, and football is very special for me,” Rijiju maintained.

The minister also praised the Indian Senior Women’s Team for their recent rise in the FIFA rankings which were released on July 12, 2019.

“I must compliment the women’s team for rising to 57 in the FIFA Rankings recently. That’s a huge jump. I’m very confident that the standard of the women’s team will rise further”, he declared.

“Football is the biggest game in terms of popularity, reach, size. We also have to put a lot of effort to improve our football.  Be it a village or a city, football is a game which can be played anywhere. I’m very hopeful that the standard of Indian Football will rise in the years to come.”

by Abhishek Shukla

India U-19s will face Jordan and Oman in Turkey exposure tour

NEW DELHI: The Indian U-19 National Team will be clashing swords against Jordan and Oman U-19 National Team in an exposure tour in Turkey, in preparation of the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers later this year.

The Indian U-19 National Team has already acted as a feeder to the senior national team with players like Amarjit Singh, Suresh Singh, Boris Singh and Narendra being regular call-ups in camps, while Amarjit Singh, who was India’s captain in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 has already earned two caps for the senior national team.

The Indian U-19s will be facing the Oman U-19 and Jordan U-19 team and will be playing one friendly match against a local club side Kocaelispor in Kartepe, Turkey from July 19- 27, 2019. 

Speaking on the exposure tour, Head Coach Floyd Pinto said, “We aim to play as many international matches as possible, the more we play the better get.

“The exposure tour to Turkey serves as a good platform to test ourselves against West Asian opposition”

“We aim to solidify our playing style, narrow down on our core group of players as we inch closer to the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers in November”, he added.

The list of the 23 selected players for the exposure trip follow below:

GOALKEEPERS: Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Niraj Kumar, Lalbiakhula Jongte

DEFENDERS: Jitendra Singh, Narendar, Gurkirat Singh, Sumit Rathi, Muhammad Rafi, Akash Mishra, Bikash Yumnam, Manish Chaudhary, Thoiba Singh

MIDFIELDERS: Amarjit Singh, Jeakson Singh, Ninthoiganba Meetei, Givson Singh, Ricky Shabong, Sailo Lalchhanhima, Robin Yadav, 

FORWARDS: Harmanpreet Singh, Vikram Partap Singh, Rohit Danu, Ridge Demello, 

The fixture of India’s exposure matches in Turkey follow below:

July 19: vs Oman U-19

July 22: vs Oman U-19

July 24: vs Jordan U-19

July 27: vs Kocaelispor U-19

by Abhishek Shukla

66.7% win record elevates Indian women’s team to 57 in FIFA rankings

NEW DELHI: A 66.7 % win record in the last 18 matches played since January 2019 propelled the Indian Senior Women’s National Team to jump 6 places to 57 in the FIFA Women’s Ranking released on July 12, 2019. Currently, the Indian women are ranked 11th in Asia.

Since January 2019, the women’s have played 18 matches winning 12, drawn 1, and lost 5. The matches are from their exposure tours to Hong Kong, Indonesia, Turkey, the SAFF Championship in Nepal, the AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2 in Myanmar, besides the inaugural Hero Gold Cup international tournament in Bhubaneswar. The team is next slated to play the COTIF Cup in Spain later this month.

Head Coach Maymol Rocky credited the players “for working hard” for the rise in the FIFA ladder.

“The entire nation will be happy that the Women’s Team has climbed six spots in the FIFA Rankings. The entire credit goes with the girls. They have worked hard for it, and we need to work harder from now on,” Maymol said.

Iconic Indian striker Sunil Chhetri, currently the second highest goal scorer in International Football among active players with 70 goals stated that he is “extremely proud of the girls.”

“They have been doing really well. I’m really proud of the girls. I’ve spoken to them once before recently, and told them they can do wonders. I hope they keep working hard, keep doing what they are doing. I’m sure things will keep on improving,” Chhetri said from Ahmedabad, where the Blue Tigers are playing in the ongoing Hero Intercontinental Cup.

The women’s team are currently camping in the Capital for their preparation for the forthcoming COTIF Cup.

AIFF’s Director of National Teams, and former India captain Abhishek Yadav added that the “women’s football have picked up the momentum.”

“Women’s football in India has picked up momentum. AIFF along with Sports Authority of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Government of Odisha have a dedicated plan to promote women’s football, and provide further exposure to the Women’s Senior National team,” he explained.

AIFF Player of the Year 2018-19 Ashalata Devi felt “the aim should be to climb higher.”

“Currently, we are 11th in Asia. We are aware of our abilities. The self-belief after the exposure tours has been driving us. We need to break into the top 10 in Asia.”

Goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan added: “As a team we are really proud of the effort which we put in, and the results we’ve got since assembling in December last year. Our new ranking will motivate us further to keep pushing ourselves.”

“There is a bit of a gap between the top-ranked teams, and where we are at the moment. But everyone – the players, the staff, AIFF, the Government are working very hard to provide the girls all the facilities to close down that gap,” the Coach explained.

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Minerva Punjab awarded for Grassroots football development at FICCI GOAL 2019

NEW DELHI: The FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) along with the AIFF (All India Football Federation) on 26th March 2019 organised GOAL 2019, the 6th International Convention on Business of Football in Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi. Mr. Subrata Dutta (Senior Vice President); Smt. Sara Pilot (Chairperson, Women’s Football Committee) and Mr. Sunando Dhar (CEO of Hero I-League) represented AIFF at the convention, while Mr. Rohit Bharadwaj, Director of Sports of Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports from Government of India was also present.

Minerva Punjab FC were awarded for “Contribution for Developing Football at the Grassroots Level” at the opening ceremony. 

Minerva Punjab FC were chosen for the award ahead of all other clubs and academies in the country, due to Minerva’s laudable efforts to develop football at a regional and grassroots level. Minerva Punjab FC have been Champions of the AIFF U-15 I-League for the last three consecutive years. Minerva also won the inaugural AIFF U-13 League held last year and this season have already claimed the AIFF U-18 League trophy. 

Apart from the impressive win record of Minerva Punjab FC, Minerva also has the unique contribution of having supplied more than 50 players in various age group National teams directly from its residential football academy in Mohali.

Mr. Robert Klein, the CEO of Bundesliga awarded Minerva Punjab FC for their Valuable Contribution for Developing Football at the Grassroots Level. Mr. Ranjit Bajaj, the Owner of the club received the award on club’s behalf. “I am really happy that Minerva Punjab FC is being recognised for all the work we are doing to develop football at a regional level. We are devoted towards fulfilling our mission to produce players for the National Teams and this award comes as a great encouragement to us to carry on despite the obstacles.”

After the Awards ceremony the convention kicked off with a session on regional and national impact of the leagues (ISL and I-League) in the development of Indian Football. Mr. Ranjit Bajaj represented the only I-League club on the panel, Minerva Punjab FC and shared his perspective from the point of view of an I-League club owner. Mr. Sunando Dhar, CEO, I-League; Mr. Mandar Tamhane, CTO, Bengaluru FC; Mr. Indranil Das Blah, CEO, Mumbai City FC and Mr. Viren D’Silva, CEO, Kerala Blasters FC were also on the panel for the session. The discussion progressed from India’s 2026 World Cup hopes, the impact of the leagues in creating talent pool for the future and how the leagues have benefited the football ecosystem in the country. 

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Amateur World Chess-Boxing Championship begins in Kolkata tomorrow

KOLKATA: The second edition of Amateur World Chess Boxing Championship will take place in Kolkata from 26th July to 29th July, 2018.

This is the second time in the history of the young  sport a three days tournament will be held open to everyone with both good chess and boxing skills.

Fighters from all over the world are expected, hailing from the member countries of the World Chess Boxing Organisation (such as Russia, Germany, India, USA and Italy) to fighters from countries where there is not yet a chessboxing organization in place (such as France and South Africa). The experience of the fighters varies from 3 to more than 80 amateur boxing bouts as well as chess ELO ratings between 1200 and 2200.

A chessboxing fight consists of up to 11 alternating rounds of chess and boxing. A bout begins with a three-minute chess round, followed by three minutes of boxing. Competitors each have a maximum total of nine minutes to complete all their chess moves.

A fight can be won in one of four ways: by knocking an opponent out in the ring, via a checkmate in chess, by a judge’s decision, or if a competitor exceeds their chess time limit.

“By combining the number one fighting sport with the number one thinking sport, there is no other sport that challenges the full scale of human capacity as radically as chessboxing does!” says lepe Rubingh, inventor of chessboxing.

After creating and founding the sport in 2003, Rubingh started the first Chess Boxing Club in Berlin in 2004 from which all other organisations worldwide emerged. In 2013 The World Chess Boxing Organisation was founded as a non profit to foster the sport of chessboxing on a global amateur level.

Today there are 11 national organizations with more than 3500 fighters and over 1,500 fights take place annually.

The Chess Boxing Organisation of India (CBOI) is the organiser of the second amateur world championships. Under guidance of it’s founding father Montu Das, the CBOI has established itself as one of the leading organizations in the chessboxing community as it is by far the biggest with more than a 1,000 members.

General Facts:
What: Chessboxing Amateur World Championships
Date: 26th-29th of July, 2018.
City, Country: Kolkata, India
Stadium: Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra and Boxing Hall
Governing body: World Chess Boxing Organisation
Organising body: Chess Boxing Organisation of India

by Abhishek Shukla

IOA President discusses Asian Beach Games 2020 with OCA President

Chennai: The President of the Indian Olympic Association Mr N. Ramachandran had a discussion on the possibility of India hosting the Asian Beach Games in 2020 with the Olympic Council of Asia, Mr Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) on Sunday.

Mr Ramachandran is in the Turkmenistan capital in connection with the inauguration of the Asian Indoor and Martial Games which is being held there from September 17 to 27 as also the OCA’s General Assembly which is scheduled there on September 20. A decision on the allotment of the Beach Games is expected to be taken at the General Assembly. India’s bid would be subject to the Union Government’s approval, Mr Ramachandran said.

India is also a participant in the ten-day Indoor Games in Ashgabat. The IOA President said he had also discussed with the OCA President the India contingent’s participation in this Games. Other development activities of the IOA also came up in the discussion, he added.

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Two Golds for Aryan at South African Junior Nationals

Durban, South Africa: Swimmer Aryan Makhija claimed his third medal at the South African Junior Nationals with a win in the 1500 m freestyle event at the King’s Park Swimming Pool, in Durban, South Africa, on Monday. Makhija’s time of 16:05.64 beats the qualification standard set by the Swimming Federation of India for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games, to be held in Bahamas, in July.

“Aryan has been working really hard as it was his main aim to beat the qualification time since it was announced by the Swimming Federation of India. I’m very proud of what he’s achieved and I’m sure he will continue to improve and go on to even higher levels of performance,” said JSW Sports’ Swimming Head Coach, Graham Hill, who also serves as coach for Swimming South Africa.

South Africa’s James Freeman (16:05.85) finished second while Andrew Ritchie (16:25.73) claimed third in a race that was tightly contested right from the start between the 17-year-old Makhija and Freeman, who represented the University of Pretoria.

A two-horse race for most parts, at the 500 meter mark, Freeman clocked in at 5:22.22 while Makhija was close behind at 5:22.44. Mumbai-born Aryan made his move in the second 500 meter stretch, clocking in at 1000 meters with a 1.72 second lead over Freeman. The final stretch saw Freeman move within 1.36 seconds of Makhija with 50 meters to cover, but it wasn’t to be for the South African.

Aryan’s finish beats the Swimming Federation of India’s qualification time of 16:06.06 (based on the third place finish at the previous Commonwealth Youth Games) by 0.42 seconds and the youngster expressed his happiness at having recorded the feat.

“I’m really happy to have claimed three medals, but more so to have beaten the qualification time for the Commonwealth Youth Games. Graham sir has been pushing me to work harder every day and I have to thank him and the JSW Sports family for all their support,” Makhija said.

Earlier, Aryan had claimed Silver in the 200 metre freestyle event with a time of 1:56.51 and Gold in the 400m freestyle clocking in at 4:05.15.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Tough task awaits Bagan against Tollygunge

By Ajay Majumder

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty has urged his side to forget the 6-0 drubbing they handed out to Army XI last weekend when they face Tollygunge Agragami in the Calcutta Football League on Thursday.

The match was originally scheduled on August 29 but has been abandoned in stoppage time at tied 1-1 after assistant referee Ujjal Haldar canceled Bagan’s Azharuddin Mallick’s goal for offside which saw Mohun Bagan fans invaded the playing area and threw objects on the ground.

Bagan officials later demanded for a replay which IFA accepted however Tollygunge, initially, did oppose the decision but eventually agreed to play the match avoiding a clash with the parent body.

“Tollygune is a strong side. They have put on a great show in the game that has been abandoned so we have to be cautious in our approach and need to avoid mistakes, committed last time around,” coach Sankarlal said ahead his team’s penultimate game in the CFL.

Going into the game Mohun Bagan will be without the services of regular centre-backs in Sanjay Balmuchu and Raju Gaikwad alongside winger Prabir Das who left for their respective ISL franchises. However, coach Sankarlal feels that it’s high time for the young players in the squad to step up in the absence of the seniors which will be a good positive sign for their future.

Tollygune, on the other hand, are on 8 points from 6 games just a point above the relegation zone therefor the Ranjan Chaudhury-led side will be eager to notch up a positive result allowing themselves some breating space in the league table.

Facing Mohun Bagan, Tollygunge will be relying on strike pair of Joel Sunday and Alfred Jaryan for goals upfront. Joining them will be the likes of Surabuddin Mallick,  Rakesh Masih and Reisangmei Vashum who would play a crucial role in the midfield.

The game at Mohun Bagan Ground kicks off at 5.30 pm on Thursday and there will be no telecast.

by Abhishek Shukla

Punjab State Super Football League starts from tomorrow

 

Punjab: Punjab Football Association has planned to commence 30th JCT Punjab State Super Football League 2016 -2017 from 11th September, 2016 and conclude on 17th October, 2016. The following top eleven teams from Punjab are taking part in this event:

Border Security Force (BWF)-Jalandhar
Punjab Police Football Team, Jalandhar
Dailbir Football Academy, Patiala
Rail Coach Factory Football Team, Kapurthala
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) – Jalandhar
Punjab state Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) – Hoshiarpur
Doaba Sporting Club, Khera-Mahilpur
Gurur Football Club, Jalandhar
Jangpur Football Club -Jangpur (Qualifier Team from Group A)
Satluj Football Club – Bichhohi (Qualifier Team from Group)
Jagat Singh Palahi Football Club – Phagwara (Qualifier as Best Team)

Total eleven rounds of five matches each have been arranged as this year Punjab Super Football League will be held on single leg league basis thereby each team having three home, three away and four neutral games. Thus according to change in format and not to confine this league in only three four districts, this year too PFA has planned to hold league’s neutral matches in multi-cities of Punjab so as it may reach at rural level in entire state of Punjab, some areas where grassroots football projects are also going on, have been chosen to host super league matches for youth of Punjab.

The opening ceremony has been assigned to Jangpur Sports Complex, Jangpur (District Ludhiana), from 11th September, 2016 at 4:00 PM followed by opening match between Jangpur Football Club and Punjab Police Football Team, where a set of opening neutral marches have been planned.

Although, JCT is playing its pivotal role in supporting PFA development activities, however, Legend International (INDPRO SPORTS) has also joined hand with Punjab Football Association and JCT to boost up football development in Punjab State. PFA approves ‘ULTRA’ as official ball for playing Super League Games. The Kick off time for all matches is fixed as 4:00 PM.

by Abhishek Shukla

Durand Cup: Army Green pip Aizawl FC in penalties to enter final

By Ajay Majumder

NEW DELHI: Army Green entered the final of the ongoing ongoing 128th Durand Cup after defeating Aizawl FC 7-5 on penalties here today.

The second semi-final of the competition saw both sides level at 3-3 till the end of 120 minutes which resulted in a tie-breaker at Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi.

Dominating the first half Army Green took the lead before the interval through Bikash Budhathoki, who slotted a back volley in the 23rd minute from a long throw-in. Aizawl made a splendid comeback in the second half and restored the partity in the 73rd minute when Bright Middleton Mends headed home before Lalramchullova put them infront five minutes later from the spot. However, Bikram Adhikari equalised for Army Green in the 83rd minute from a free-kick to drag the game into the extra time.

Army Green began the extra time brightly and went ahead for the second time in the game when Herojit Singh capitalised on error by Aizawl FC custodian Lalawmpuia to put his team in front at the very first minute of the extra time.

Meanwhile, at the other end, Aizawl FC almost pulled level but Bright Middleton Mends’ header off a flag-kick missed the target by a whisker.

Thereafter, the highlanders increased their pressure up front putting the Army Green defense under serious threat. The pressure paid off as Aizawl FC found the leveller in the 97th minute. A delightful cross floated in from the right by Lalrinzaula found Mends in the box and the Ghanaian slotted home another header.

In the final few minutes of the game, both sides tried hard for the winner couldn’t break the deadlock as the game went to the shootout where Army Green held their nerve and prevailed 4-2.

This is the first time since 2005 when a Army team have reached the final of the competition after Army XI, who beat Sporting Clube de Goa to claim the title.

Army Green will face Neroca FC, who ease past DSK Shivajians 3-0 earlier in the day, in the Grand Finale on Sunday.

(FILE IMAGE)

by Abhishek Shukla

Brilliant exhibition of attacking football as BVT FC rally after falling behind

Aizawl: The third fixture of Mizoram Premier League’s second round between Chanmari West FC and Bethlehem Vengthlang FC witnessed a thrilling display of attacking football as Bethlehem Vengthlang FC comeback to victory after falling behind on Friday at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizawl.

Bethlehem Vengthlang FC leads the table after second round with 6 points whereas Chanmari West FC are yet to open their account after going down twice in their first two matches.

A bright start by both teams saw some brilliant vibrant football from the opening minutes with both teams looking for an early advantage. Chanmari West FC got their breakthrough after 22 minutes when R. Laldampuia scored a beauty to give his side the lead.

Bethlehem Vengthlang FC, determind to reduce their deficit, hassled and harried their opponents and looked to hit on the break. While their opponents, looking for a second goal before halftime did not seem to want to take their foot off the gas.

The second half saw much of the same with both side creating chances in an end-to-end all action stuff. Bethlehem Vengthlang FC got their equaliser on the 58th miunute through Lalhlimpuia’s brilliant curler.

With the score level at one a piece, both sides were looking for the kill but in vain. United on the 75th minute Lalhlimpuia produced yet another magnificent strike to gice his side all three points.

The two-goal hero Lalhlimpuia was duly awarded  Man of the Match for his two goal-heroics.

by Abhishek Shukla

CFL: Mohun Bagan will face-off against Army XI

Ujjal Sarkhel

Kolkata: Mohun Bagan will look to put the controvery over the Kolkata Derby, which never happend, behind when they face off against Army XI in their next match of the ongoing Calcutta Football League at Mohun Bagan Ground on Saturday.

Mohun Bagan were scheduled to play the first Kolkata Derby of the season against East Bengal on Wednesday but the match was called off after Mohun Bagan turned down to play the derby saying they needed at least one day for practice at Kalyani Stadium before the match and over 6,000 tickets for their members and gave walkover to East Bengal.

This almost ensured the championship for East Bengal as the Red and Golds only need one point to console their seventh successive league title, eclipsing their own feat of six back-to-back triumphs.

However, if East Bengal looses in their last two matches and Mohun Bagan wins their remaining three then they will have a chance to win the CFL, which is Mohun Bagan’s only motivation going into the game against Army XI.

Talking about this tie Bagan coach will maintain the same starting lineup which played in their last match against United Sports Club. Daniel Bidemi will pair with Darryl Duffy in upfront. Pankaj Moula, Prabir Das, Azaharuddin Mallick and Saran Singh will take the responsibility in midfield while Raju Gaikward and Sanjay Balmuchu will lead in central  defense and Chinta Chandrasekhar  Rao and Tanmoy Ghosh as the side backs.

“Though my team not played in the derby match due to some problems, but my boys are fully focused to play the last three matches and will give 100% to win those, I am still hoping for some miracle in the league.Army XI is a very good team with have some quality players but my boys is ready to face the chllange” said Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakrabarty.

Army XI, on the other hand, will go all out to win their crucial tie after beating Bhawanipore Club 3-2 in their last fixture.

For the record last year in CFL Army XI defeated 1-0 Mohun Bagan in an exciting encounter. This year Army’s front line have weakened a bit with their star player Arjun Tudu has left for ISL 3 but the likes of Francis Zonuthanga, Lallianmawia, Sinenlo Kath Rengma and Jain Punchakadan are back from Durand Cup which will give a lot of confidence to the Army side.

The match will kick off at 5.30 pm and will televised at ETV News Bangla.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL: FC Goa to play first pre-season friendly in Rio

Panaji, 9th September 2016:  FC Goa will kick start its set of pre-season friendlies with an opening encounter against Bangu Atletico Clube in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Head coach Zico is optimistic about his team’s chances in the Hero Indian Super League this season and in a bid to get his squad ready for the rigours of the ISL, has opted for his home country as the training venue for the pre-season.

The match will take place at Zico’s academy in Rio de Janeiro at 15.30 hrs, local time (12 am IST). The squad has been making extensive use of the training facilities available at the academy over the past week and has been put through an intense training regime in preparation for the season.

Goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani has picked up where he left off last season and is likely to retain his position between the sticks for the friendly. World Cup and UEFA Champions League winning defender, Lucio has re-signed for the franchise for the third season and will take the captain’s armband once more. Along with Gregory Arnolin, he formed a solid partnership at the heart of the defence last year which is expected to prompt Zico to continue with the same pairing.

Wingers Romeo Fernandes and Mandar Rao Dessai are likely to feature as well down the right and left wings respectively. Two season veteran, Jofre Mateu Gonzales has looked particularly sharp in training and is likely to slot into the midfield. The former Barcelona youth product was one of the major reasons for the success of the club in making it to the final of the second edition of the ISL and will be expected to shoulder much of the creative responsibility in midfield this year. Youngster Sahil Tavora, playing his first season of the tournament has had a promising start to the pre-season and could find himself in the thick of action as well.

Rafael Coelho, who came in as a replacement signing midway through the last season has risen to become a real fan favourite  and is expected to feature in the friendly too.  Coelho will be keen to work on his blossoming partnership with Indian target man, Robin Singh and indications are that Zico is likely to start the two up top.

The friendly should also allow Zico to give a run-out to his trio of new signings,  Rafael Dumas, Richarlyson and Trindade Goncalves before they face a sterner test in the second pre-season game against his alma matter, CR Flamengo on the 14th September. The club will then take on Boa Vista FC the following day in a match where Zico is likely to rotate his squad in an effort to get all his players match sharp.

The Gaurs are slated to play a total of six friendly matches before flying back to Goa on 25th September ahead of their first game of the season against North East United on the 4th of October in Guwahati.

by Abhishek Shukla

Durand Cup: DSK Shivajians’ campaign end with semi-final loss

 

9th September 2016 – Delhi, India – DSK Shivajians FC was done in by Neroca FC 0-3 and with it ended their dream run in the 128th Durand Cup at the Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi on Friday.

The Manipur-side netted via Sushil Kumar Singh (36th minute), Malemnganba Meitei (65th), Anandkumar Singh (90+3) to squash DSK Shivajians hopes.

The loss, however, did ensure that DSK Shivajians pieced history for themselves. They became the first team from Pune to reach the Durand Cup semifinals.

Manager Dave Rogers made five changes in his playing eleven. Given starts were goalkeeper Sayak Barai, Mohd. Sajid Dhot, Vanlalremkima, K. Lalthathanga, while Lalawmpuia earned his maiden first start. Making way were Rakshit Dagar, Zohmingliana Ralte, Sairuat Kima, Hitova Ayemi and Gagandeep Singh.

DSK Shivajians began the game on the offensive and had close chances early on with a host of corner kicks. Defender Mohd. Sajid Dhot went the closest in the 10th minute when his header off Juan Quero’s corner kick from the right whizzed past the second post.

Despite the heat taking its toll on the players, DSK Shivajians continued to dominate proceedings before a taking a breather with a water break at the half hour mark.

Post the break; Neroca FC began pushing up and creating pressure around the DSK Shivajians box. Medio Rohit Kumar was pulled up for a late tackle on rival striker Singam Subash Singh and the referee awarded Neroca FC a penalty-kick. Sushil Kumar Singh stepped up to send the goalkeeper the wrong way (0-1).

DSK Shivajians re-composed themselves and began pushing up. However, despite having the better chances, the score at halftime favoured Neroca FC 1-0.

The second half began with both sides playing a high tempo game. DSK Shivajians were charging up from the flanks as Neroca pushed up on counter attacks.

Ten minutes in, Manager Dave Rogers made the first change as Juan Quero made way for North Korean striker Kim Song Yong with DSK Shivajians seeking an equaliser.

However, it was Neroca FC who doubled their lead in the 65th minute. Sushil Kumar Singh curled in a cross from the right to find David Lalbiakzara in the box. The ex-Shivajians midfielder chested the ball down to K. Malemnganba Meitei who smashed home a half-volley from the top edge of the box leaving custodian Sayak Barai helpless in the DSK Shivajians goal.

DSK Shivajians kept pressing high up in search of a goal and almost reduced the deficit in the 78th minute. Substitute Kim Song Yong received a long ball on the right as he managed to break the offside trap and run clear in the box. However, as he tried to lob the keeper, his attempt went agonisingly wide. Minutes later Lalawmpuia benefited from the loose ball after the rival ‘keeepr had a soft collection, but his effort way wayward with no one, but a defender in goal.

Three minutes into injury time, Neroca FC sealed the game with another goal when substitute Anandkumar Singh finished off a cross from the right flank to make the scoreline 3-0.

by Abhishek Shukla

Chanmari FC, Dinthar FC share spoils in Mizoram Premier League

AIZAWL: Former champions Chanmari FC and Dinthar FC met in the first fixture of the second round of the Mizoram Premier League and were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw.

The favorites Chanmari FC started the match more brightly and created chances but ultimately failed to convert them.

As the two teams battled back and forth, the first breakthrough of the match happened in the dying minutes of the first half. Chanmari FC’s Reuben converted a beautiful freekick to give his side the lead at halftime.

The second half saw Chanmari FC again dominating play as Dinthar FC tried in vain to get back level.

Dinthar FC reap the rewards of their brilliant counter-attacking strategy as Michael Lalremruata equalised 11 minutes from time.

Dinthar FC’s Lalhmachhuana was duly awarded Man of the Match award for his rock solid performance.