In a stunning development in Indian football, two-time champions Churchill Brothers were thrown out of the I-League along with three other teams for failing to fulfil the AIFF's club licensing criteria.
Dempo SC, on Wednesday, withdrew from the I-League for the upcoming season in protest against AIFF's proposed roadmap to restructure domestic football, dealing another body blow to the sport in India.
Mohammedan Sporting and Air India held Churchill Brothers and Senegal's AS Douanes respectively to draws to remain in contention for a semi-final berth in the 114th IFA Shield football tournament in Kolkata on Wednesday.
With his team winning the I-League title for the fourth time, Dempo Sports Club coach Armando Colaco said what makes his team unique was the 'warmth and affection' shared by the players.
Shrugging off disappointment of the loss to Shillong Lajong in their last outing, hosts Sporting Clube de Goa would be looking to log their first points in I-League when they take on newcomers Pune FC in a third round match in Margao on Saturday.
JCT coach Sukhwinder Singh says it will be an altogether different ball game when they clash against hosts East Bengal in their third round I-League encounter in Kolkata on Sunday.
Victory continued to elude last year's runners-up Mohun Bagan. The Kolkata giants went down 1-2 to JCT in a floodlit Round 2 I-League match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Thursday.
Dempo Sports Club began their season with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Air India while defending champions Mahindra United were held to a goalless draw by new I-League entrants Lajong FC in the 122nd ONGC Durand Cup football tournament in Delhi on Monday.
Churchill Brothers booked a semi-final berth with a 2-0 win over Shillong Lajong FC, while Mohun Bagan began the season in style, thrashing George Telegraph 4-0 in the 114th IFA Shield in Kolkata on Friday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
East Bengal rode on defender Bello Rasaq's header to defeat Salgaocar 2-1 and jump to second place in the I-League football tournament in Barasat on Sunday.
Bengaluru FC will begin their I-League title defence against Shillong Lajong at home at Kanteerava Stadium in the inaugural game of the new season on January 7.
Bengaluru FC rode on Sunil Chhetri double strike as they beat Salgaocar FC 3-2 in their Group B league match as the 36th Federation Cup football tournament kicked off in Vasco.
AIFF's Club Licensing Committee decided that based on the reports all the fourteen License Applicants failed to clear the Licensing Test.
Defending champions Minerva Punjab FC forfeited their I-League match against Real Kashmir FC in Srinagar after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) turned down their request to relocate the fixture in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attacks.
Images: Mohun Bagan get massive reception.
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.
I-League: Plaza turns hero as EB pip Churchill 3-2
Sporting Clube de Goa held a lacklustre East Bengal to a goalless draw in their penultimate I-League fixture at the Vidyasagar Krirangan, in Barasat on Friday.
Riding high on NorthEast United FC's home win against Kerela Blasters, team co-owner John Abraham said that his team will put up a strong fight in his side's next Indian Super League match against Atletico de Kolkata.
Bengaluru FC showed no sign of protective-approach, when they trounced Shillong Lajong FC 2-0.
Striker Robin Singh struck the match-winner as Bengal made a stunning second-half comeback to upset defending champions Bengaluru FC 2-1 in a high-profile I-League football clash, in Barasat, West Bengal on Sunday.
After raping the child, the man threw her on the ground from a height and she died, police said.
Relegated in their debut season, Aizawl FC were readmitted to make up the numbers when Goan clubs fell out with the All India Football Federation over the I-League and Indian Super League merger issue. They made the opportunity count by winning the I-League in only their second season to script a rare and incredible story in present-day Indian football.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Indian Super League franchise NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) co-owner John Abraham expressed optimism that the country's ranking in international football would go up to 'double digit' from the current 159th position in the next seven years.
FC Goa became the second Hero Indian Super League side to book their place in the play-offs after a convincing 3-0 win over Kerala Blasters FC in Margao Monday.
An unimpressive display by India saw them surrender without a fight to United Arab Emirates as they went down 0-5 in their opening Group G match at the Asian Games in Incheon.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa, Indian football's traditional outfits, decided to "withdraw" from the forthcoming season of the I-League over the All India Football Federation's decision to restructure the domestic league system.
A narrow 1-0 win was not enough for a desperate Mumbai City FC who were knocked out by FC Goa 5-2 on aggregate in the Hero Indian Super League semi-final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Margao, on Tuesday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
India's prolific film industry churns out scores of movies with plotlines bordering on the absurd every year but even Bollywood might have dismissed as too preposterous the story of the rise of soccer club Aizawl FC.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
Minerva Punjab FC will take on Indian Super League side Jamshedpur FC on April 2 in the inaugural Super Cup football tournament which begins in Bhubaneswar on March 31.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
