Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia said not slotting international friendlies has got nothing to do with ISL dates. "We haven't slotted any international matches, and this has nothing to do with the ISL, nor are we giving importance to it. Instead, we had prioritized the national team to stay together for a one-month camp before they disperse to play ISL," Bhutia told reporters. Bhutia was in the city for the closing ceremony of Bhaichung Bhutia Champions Cup at Harvest International School.
The Indian football team has re-entered the top-100 of the FIFA world rankings and is now placed at 99th at the latest chart released on Thursday.
Sunil Chhetri was named India's Player of the Year by AIFF president Praful Patel at the Annual General Meeting in Delhi on Friday. India's captain, who won the award in 2007 and 2011, emerged winner after voting by I-League coaches at AIFF's headquarters in Delhi.
National football coach Stephen Constantine named 32 probables on Wednesday for India's upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup joint qualification Round 1 home and away matches against Nepal. India first host Nepal on March 12 at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Sajusarai, Guwahati, while the return leg is slated to be played in Nepal on March 17.
Constantine said silly individual errors cost India the match.
Many Indian footballers have improved by leaps and bounds thanks to the exposure of playing in the Indian Super League in the last three seasons.
Lalpekhlua Jeje and Sony Norde scored spectacular goals to hand Mohun Bagan a 2-0 win over Bengaluru FC in a round eight clash of the Hero I-League football tournament at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Saturday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday.
Kerala Blasters struck the match-winner deep into the extra time in a thrilling second leg semi-final to book a berth for the summit clash of the inaugural Hero Indian Super League football tournament on 4-3 aggregate over Chennaiyin FC on Tuesday.
Stiven Mendoza was the star of the night as Chennaiyin FC beat FC Goa 3-2 in a dramatic final to clinch the 2nd edition of the Indian Super League at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao on Sunday.
India's national football coach Stephen Constantine on Friday anointed towering goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu as captain for Saturday's international friendly against higher-ranked Puerto Rico at the suburban Andheri Sports Complex ground in Mumbai. "Gurpreet Singh Sandhu will captain the team on Saturday against Puerto Rico," Constantine announced at the fag end of the pre-match media conference to give a huge boost to the 24-year-old, one of the youngest players to lead the national football team.
Four days after creating a flutter with a stunning 4-1 drubbing of Thailand, India are now looking an upbeat lot in the continental showpiece.
The India football captain admitted there has been a "steady growth" in Indian football since that first day he wore the national shirt.
SCEB failed to make use of a numerical advantage to settle for a 1-1 draw against FC Goa
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday.
NorthEast United inched closer to a playoffs berth with a 2-1 win over 10-man SC East Bengal in the ISL
Will the fans rush back to the stadium once sport resumes? Will training abroad be as hassle-free as it used to be? What about contact sports where social distancing can't really be practised? Some of India's biggest sportspersons -- current and former -- gave their views on future of sports once the action resumes.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
Indian women's football team defeated Iran by a solitary goal to begin their campaign at the Hero Gold Cup on a winning note at the Kalinga Stadium, in Bhubaneswar, on Saturday.
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