I-League champions Churchill Brothers maintained their intimidating form in the season as they beat Dempo 2-1 to storm into the Durand Cup football final, on Saturday.
The Ghanian defender will have Dipankar Roy as his deputy.
The Asian Football Confederation imposed a one-year ban on India hosting international football tournaments after the AIFF failed to submit a report on a mass brawl during an IFA Shield match.
A keen competition is on the cards as runners-up Mohan Bagan begin their I-League campaign against Chirag United at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
Odafe Okolie's brilliant hat-trick helped Churchill Brothers beat Mohun Bagan 3-1 in the final and win the Durand Cup football title at the Ambedkar stadium on Tuesday.
Former champions East Bengal made a shock exit from the Durand Cup football tournament after a 0-1 loss to I-League newcomers Lajong FC, Shillong in a Group IV quarter-final league match at the Ambedkar Stadium on Wednesday.
The absence of their ace striker Odafa Okolie notwithstanding, reigning I-League champions Churchill Brothers start favourites against Air India in the first semi-final of the 114th IFA Shield to be played at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Kolkata outfit Mohun Bagan held Mahindra United 1-1 in a keenly contested encounter to set up semi-final clash with the United SC in 114th IFA Shield football championship in Kolkata on Sunday.
South African side Santos FC beat Mahindra United, Mumbai, 2-0 in a quarter-final league match of the 113th IFA Shield football tournament in Kolkata on Thursday. Earlier, it was a story of missed chances as Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting and Kolkata's Mohammedan Sporting drew goalless in a Group A tie.
The club is looking for some foreign recruits to strengthen the side before the National Football League.
Mahindra United beat Mohun Bagan 4-1 for their biggest victory in the National Football League.
Chirag United SC avenged their IFA Shield semi-final loss, upsetting Mohun Bagan 3-2, to kick off their I-League campaign in style.
I-League champions Churchill Brothers would look to pocket their second title of the season while Mohun Bagan will have revenge on mind when the two sides face-off in the final of the Durand Cup football tournament in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Mohun Bagan showed nerves of steel even after being reduced to ten men from the eighth minute to edge out United SC 5-4 via the penalty shoot-out and set up a summit clash against Churchill Brothers in the 114th IFA Shield football tournament in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Bachan Singh died Wednesday morning in mysterious circumstances.
A last minute goal enabled them to hold Mohammedan Sporting and make the grade in the IFA Shield football tournament.
The Goa pro league champions handed the defending champions their first defeat in the league.
The Chinese team scored a 1-0 victory and entered the semi-finals of the IFA shield Football Tournament.
Myanmar's Finance and Revenue Football Club lifted the crown in the 110th IFA Shield football tournament in Kolkata on Sunday.
Mohun Bagan rode on a Jose Barreto hat-trick to blank Kolkata rivals Mohammedan Sporting 3-0 in the 113th IFA Shield tournament quarter-final group league matches in Kolkata on Saturday. In the day's other matches, Mahindra United beat East Bengal 2-0 while Churchill Brothers and Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting drew goalless.
They move into the final of the IFA Shield football tournament in Kolkata.
IFA Shield runners-up Churchill survived a second-half onslaught to pick a point from the NFL match.
The giants of Indian football clash in the final of the Durand Cup on Wednesday.
Myanmar's Finance and Revenue Football Club beat Mohammedan Sporting 3-1 in the semi-final of the 110th IFA Shield football tournament.
Having missed the IFA Shield and Durand Cup, Baichung Bhutia said he is not fully fit and will take some time to settle down when he dons the East Bengal jersey in the I-League.
The AFC had slapped a year's ban on India hosting foreign team following violence in the IFA Shield final.
A win against Churchill Brothers will enable the Kolkata giants steer clear atop the National Football League.
A 3-2 victory kept the IFA Shield winners on top of the National Football League.
Dempo, who are perched atop the league, will be without key players, defender Bolaji and striker Francis Silveira.
In another match in the IFA Shield football tournament, Abdullatif Seriki's goal gave Mohammedan Sporting a 1-0 victory over Vasco.
The Goa side staged a grand second-half rally to beat the Kolkata side 3-1 in the IFA Shield football tournament.
In another match in the IFA Shield football tournament, Vasco and Tata Football Academy played out a goalless draw.
A fearless competitor who used brain and brawn in equal measure, Subhas Bhowmick was one of the most fascinating characters in Indian football through the 1970s with his muscular built and equally expressive carefree opinions.
They will now face winner of the East Bengal-Ever Ready tie in the final on September 28.
A goal in each half enabled the Phagwara side stun the IFA Shield runners-up in ther National Football League.
Churchill Brothers and East Bengal have a point to prove in Wednesday's IFA Shield final.
Emiliano Martinez said he had always wanted to come to India.
Former India footballer and coach Syed Abdus Salam, who was awarded Best Defender in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, died at his Salarjung Colony residence in Hyderabad on Saturday.
Habib, who was suffering from dementia and Parkinson's syndrome for the past couple of years, breathed his last in Hyderabad, his birthplace.
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