Climax Lawrence struck in injury time to take India to a 1-0 victory over Afghanistan in their first match of the AFC Challenge Cup at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia announced it would bid only minutes after soccer's global governing body called for Asia and Oceania bids on October 4.
Dempo paid for their profligacy with an own goal by their captain to go down 2-3 to Sur Club of Oman in the AFC Cup Group A thriller at Nizwa. The I-League champions, who beat Lebanese powerhouse Al Ansar in their opening pool match, wasted a couple of clear chances and conceded an own goal by star playmaker Climax Lawrence.
Dempo Sports Club exploited the shaky rival defence scoring a 3-1 win over Lebanon's Al Ansar in the opening group match of the AFC Cup at the Nehru Stadium in Margao on Tuesday.
The National Football League champions scored a 2-0 away victory over Singapore Armed Forces FC.
High on confidence but low on performance, India will look to put behind the recent reverses when they take on Chinese Taipei in their opening match of the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying tournament in Yangon on Saturday.
No continent has escaped the 'cancer' of football match-fixing and it is too big a problem for one organisation to tackle alone, AFC acting president Zhang Jilong warned as the regional body and INTERPOL kicked off a two-day seminar on the issue on Wednesday.
East Bengal became the first Indian team to qualify for the AFC Cup knock-out round with an unbeaten record after thrashing Vietnam outfit Sai Gon Xuan Thanh 4-1 in their concluding Group H league match at the Vivekananda Yubabharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Mahindra United drew with Al Nejmeh 3-3 in the away match in Beirut and lost the AFC Cup tie on 5-4 aggregate.
India began their campaign AFC U-16 football championships campaign on a disappointing note, losing 2-3 to United Arab Emirates at the Nehru Stadium in Margao on Thursday.
Ranti Martins and Chidi Edeh struck a brace each to outplay Sur Club of Oman 5-2 in their final Group A match and take their side to their maiden AFC Cup quarter-finals in Margao on Wednesday.
Manchester City and Arsenal closed in on Premier League leaders Liverpool with contrasting victories on Saturday as Manchester United's bubble was burst by Fulham.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Riding on Haitian Sony Norde's superb display, Mohun Bagan beat Colombo Football Club 2-1 in the return leg fixture to storm into the play-off stage of the AFC Cup South Asia Zone on 4-2 aggregate in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Hosts Dempo SC went down tamely 0-4 to Nasaf FC of Uzbekistan in a Group-A encounter of the AFC Challenge Cup, at the Balewadi Sports Complex, in Pune, on Tuesday.
Sushil Kishku scored a brace as the Indian under-19 football team blanked Pakistan 5-0 in their Group B qualifying match for the AFC Championship.
India's top clubs were drew 2-2 with Brothers Union of Bangladesh and Turkmenistan's Merv respectively in the second round.
The Asian Football Confederation have suspended former President Mohamed Bin Hammam after a lengthy audit of their accounts revealed fresh allegations of financial wrongdoing, the body said in a statement on Tuesday.
Stephen Constantine said he has accepted the contract extension offered to him by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which will make him the longest serving national coach in the history of the sport.
Former captain Bhaichung Bhutia demanded the resignation of All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey.
Chhetri also added that India will rely more on teamwork than individual flair to give a tough fight to their rivals.
Holders Korea Republic thrashed Jordan 3-0 while Japan beat North Korea 2-0.
Sandesh Jhingan, upon his arrival at the airport in Doha, said, 'No group in the Asian Cup is easy. Of course, we've got Australia, and they need no introduction. But what we have learned in the last few years is that we must never fear any opposition.'
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday, April 13.
India coach Igor Stimac wants his players to stay compact and not concede set pieces to Australia
A goalless draw against Chinese Taipei gave India the top spot in Group A.
North Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Turkmenistan in their opening group game of the AFC Challenge Cup in Colombo on Wednesday.
A 22-member India Under-23 football squad left the country on Sunday to defend their title in the AFC Challenge Cup to be held in Colombo from February 16-27.
India opened their campaign by defeating Lebanon 5-2 in the opening match of the AFC U-22 Championship at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat on Saturday.
AIFF Player of the Year, Sunil Chhetri will lead India in the AFC Challenge Cup to be held in Kathmandu from March 8.
The Delhi high court on Tuesday set aside the election of Praful Patel, who was last year elected as the president of All India Football Federation for a four-year term, his third successive tenure.
India will be up against UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran in the group stages of AFC U-16 Championship as the draw for the event, which will act as a dress rehearsal for next year's FIFA U-17 World Cup, was held amid much fanfare in Panaji, Goa on Thursday. The tournament begins on September 15 and matches will be held at Fatorda and Bambolim Stadium in Goa. The final is slated to be played on October 2. The top two teams from each groups will qualify for the quarter-finals. In case India, who are in Group A, advance to the semi-finals, the winner of play-off 3 will also qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup. Conducted by Shin Mangil, Director of Competitions, Asian Football Confederation, the ceremony was attended by Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Secretary of All India Football Federation Kushal Das and U-17 World Cup Tournament Director Javier Ceppi among others. The 16 participating teams were divided into four groups.
A goal deep into stoppage time snapped Dempo's winning spree in the AFC Cup as the Goan outfit settled for a 1-1 against defending champions Al Muharraq in the Group E match at the Bahrain National Stadium on Tuesday night.
FC Seoul and Al Nasr inched closer to a place in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League following comprehensive victories in their respective quarter-final first leg matches on Wednesday.
Federation Cup champions Mohun Bagan put on a spirited display before succumbing 1-2 to Al Wehdat of Jordan in their second Group D league match of the AFC Cup at Howrah the Municipal Ground on Tuesday.
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Rising high on Prosenjit Chakborty's hat-trick, India registered 8-1 victory against Bhutan in their third match of the U-16 AFC Qualifiers in Kuwait City on Friday night.
Former AIFF general secretary Alberto Colaco winning the AFC Distinguished Service Award has kicked up a controversy with top officials accusing him of recommending himself without consulting the executive committee.
Lalrindika Ralte's goal gave East Bengal a 1-0 victory over Selangor FA in their AFC Cup Group H opener.
Gokulam Kerala have written to the AFC to reimburse the money spent on the travel
Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo received a warm reception in Iran on Monday, in the first visit of a Saudi team to Iran since 2016.
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