A new-look Mohammedan Sporting have begun their season in style as they beat another Kolkata outfit Kalighat Milaan Sangha 3-1 to reach the semi-final of the 126th Durand Cup Football tournament in New Delhi on Saturday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The scoreline remained 2-2 at the end of full-time and five minutes of added time despite the best effort of both sides to find the elusive winning goal.
Star striker Sunil Chhetri is among a 28-strong Indian probable squad announced for the 2018 soccer World Cup preliminary qualifying round matches against Iran and Turkmenistan.
Mohun Bagan and India striker Jeje Lalpekhlua was declared winner of the 'Indian Player of the Year' award by the Football Players Association of India (FPAI) at its annual awards function held at the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai. The 25-year-old from Mizoram, who made his international debut in 2012 and came through the junior ranks, received the highest number of votes from fellow professional footballers, beating the challenge from the short list of India captain Sunil Chhetri, Bikash Jairu, David Lalrinmuana and Dhanachandra Singh, to win the coveted award. Jeje, incidentally, was the winner of the FPAI's Junior Indian Footballer of the Year award in 2011, AIFF Emerging Player of the Year award in 2013 and the 2015 Indian Super League Emerging Player of the League award while representing franchise outfit Chennayin FC, the eventual champions, on loan from Bagan.
A listless Mohun Bagan were saved by former Trinidad and Tobago World Cupper Cornell Glen as they managed to hold arch-rivals East Bengal to a 1-1 draw in the much-anticipated Kolkata derby of the I-League.
India's football coach Stephen Constantine announced his preliminary squad of 38 probables for India's forthcoming back to back 2018 World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification matches against Oman and Guam respectively.
Influential skipper Sunil Chhetri has been ruled out of India's World Cup qualifier against Iran owing to a groin injury, dealing a body blow to the beleaguered outfit's prospects of putting up a fight. The match for Russia 2018 World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 is slated to be played in Tehran on Thursday. A 22-member team on Monday left for the forthcoming game. Six players from the list of 28 probables, including injured striker Chhetri, didn't travel with the squad. "We had to take some bold decisions and we have to travel to Tehran without our influential captain Sunil Chhetri," national coach Stephen Constantine said. "He will be badly missed." Chhetri has been ruled out following a groin injury which he had picked up in the I-League.
India warmed up nicely for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifier match against Kyrgyzstan as they outclassed lower-ranked Nepal 2-0 in an international football friendly in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Jamshedpur piled up the pressure as the first-half progressed but their final delivery into the box lacked clarity. Mario Arques struck a dangerous free-kick at Gurpreet Singh's goal but it sailed inches over the bar.
Masterminded superbly by ace striker Sunil Chhetri, a dominant India scripted a sensational 4-1 win over higher-ranked Puerto Rico in an international football friendly at the Andheri Sports Complex stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
Eugenson Lyngdoh had found the net in the 32nd minute for the hosts but Rafael Coelho Luiz (34) and Jonatan Lucca (44) brought FC Goa back into the game. Mutu (90+4') scored the late equaliser to salvage a point for Pune City.
