East Bengal, Mohun Bagan draw 1-1

Kingfisher East Bengal 1 (Robin Singh – 33rd)

d/w
McDowells Mohun Bagan 1 (Odafa Okolie – 47th)

KOLKATA: Kingfisher East Bengal and McDowells Mohun Bagan played out a 1-1 draw in the 19th round I League clash played at the Yuba Bharati Krinangan, in Kolkata on Saturday,
The draw ensured that both teams are still very much in the fray for the title.
The match started after a minutes silence was observed for the Egypt football stadium tragedy that took place earlier this week.
For East Bengal, Robin Singh started upfront with Tolgay Ozbey while for Mohun Bagan it was Sunil Chhetri and Odafa Okolie.
Right from the kick off, one could make out both teams felt the nerves, even as Haramjoot Khabra flew in with a challenge on Hudson Lima but escaped with a yellow card.
The first chance fell to Sunil Chhetri who took a shot from the edge of the box but it sailed over the crossbar.
The first 25 minutes were all about possession for red and gold. In the 29th minute Robin Singh headed down a free kick for Tolgay Ozbey who misdirected his shot and could not capitalise.
However, in the 33rd minute Haromjeet Khabra played a delightful pass to Robin Singh to which he latched onto it, to finish it with his right foot and gave East Bengal a 1-0 lead.
Just two minutes into the second half, Odafa Okolie dribbled past Mehtab Hussain and struck a shot which deflected into the East Bengal goalmouth and led the mariners to restore parity.
After the equaliser both the teams kept trying without any success. The scoreline remained same till the full time.
East Bengal now have 35 points from 19 matches while Mohun Bagan are just a point behind from 19 outings.

Youngs scrape past KGF

Shimla Youngs 1(Junya Kato – 89th)
Beat
KGF Academy 0
NEW DELHI: Simla Young scored a last minute goal to beat Bangalore’s KGF Academy by a solitary goal in their 2nd division I-League match played at Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi, on Saturday.
Junya Kato scored the lone goal of the match in the 89th minute, to help them secure all 3 points for the local team.
The match witnessed some shoddy play upfront by both the teams, who kept muffing the chances on numerous occasions in the first half. And as result the first half remained goalless.
The script in the second half was no different where there were hardly any goal scoring chances created.
Just as the match seem to end in a draw Junya Kato, capitalised on a defensive lapse by KGF in the 89th minute. He was left unmarked and all he had to do was to tap the ball in the back of the net to give the Delhi side a much needed victory.
Simla Youngs now have 4 points from 2 matches while KGF Academy are still to open their account from 2 outings.

Luangmual FC 1(Lalriathzuala – 76th)
d/w
Langsning FC 1 (Sanjay Chhetri – 87th)

Luangmual, Langsning split points

NEW DELHI: In an another 2nd division I League encounter, Mizoram’s Luangmual drew with Shillong’s Langsning 1-1, at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi, on Saturday.
It was Luangmual who scored first off a Penalty, when Malsawm Tluanga was tripped in the penalty area, and the Mizo side made was awarded spot kick. To which Lalriathzuala made no mistake and gave lead to his side in 76th minute.
Langsning restored parity ten minutes later through Sanjay Chhetri.
Till the final whistle the score remained the same.
With this win Langsning now have 4 points from 2 matches while Luangmual have 2 points from 2 outings.

Results from Silchar and Cuttack:
Silchar:
1) Southern Samity d/w Green Valley 1-1
2) Aizwal FC beat Bhawanipore FC 2-1
Cuttack:
1) Samleshwari SC d/w Techno Aryan 1-1
2) Kalighat MS beat Gauhati Town Club 1-0

Pailan face resurgent Lajong

KOLKATA: After having held Goan giant’s Salgaocar SC in their last encounter, Pailan Arrows will certainly have their morals high, when they face Shillong Lajong FC in their 19th round I-League match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Though Pailan Arrows are yet to register their first outright victory but they have managed to hold many top teams in the league voiding them of straight three points.
With 8 points in their tally from 16 matches, Pailan Arrows will be counting on the home advantage as couple of days ago the young team had put in a stupendous performance, avoiding last year’s league champion of 3 points.
“The boys are playing well but it’s just that we have not been able to convert the chances that came our way. The team is in high spirit especially after the last game against Salgaocar,” quipped Pailan Arrows Technical Director Sukhwinder Singh.
Shillong Lajong on the other hand will have their away victory against bottom placed team HAL on back of their mind, when they face Pailan Arrows.
Lajong will also be counting on their new signings Rennedy Singh and Sushil Kumar Singh to help them continue their winning streak. Lajong has 21 points from 18 matches.
Even Lajong coach was in praise of Arrows and stated “Pailan Arrows is young, competitive and an organised squad and that is quite evident the way they played their last match
“It is not going to be an easy game for us and we will have to play extremely well to pocket three points to secure ourselves from relegation zone,” Pradyum said.

Dempo to host Pune FC

GOA: Dempo Sports Club are aware of the dangers that Pune FC can pose, as they battle to extend their lead at the top of the table, in the 19th round I League encounter, played at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Sunday.
Dempo enjoy a healthy five point lead at the top but coach Mauricio Afonso is not willing to leave anything to chance even against a team which lost 2-4 against Sporting Clube in their previous clash.
“We are playing at home. The crowd will be behind us but we still have a huge task on hand. Pune FC can upset calculations of any team in the competition,” said Mauricio.
The Dempo coach knows the threats that Pune FC will provide. After all, it was Pune FC who defeated them for the first time this season and marred their chances in the Federation Cup. That defeat is still fresh in the minds of the Dempo players, and despite having recovered since then, the hosts would still remain guarded.
“We are at a stage where no slip-ups can be allowed. There may not be enough time to recover,” said the Dempo coach.
Mauricio is expected to make only one change to the team with Cressan Antao – suspended for the next clash – returning to the defence in place of Rowilson Rodrigues.
Pune FC will miss the services of their reliable stopper-back Chika Wali and coach Derrick Pereira, is likely to ring in a couple of other changes as well.
“Chika is suspended so we may have to start with Costa, or get Shrikant to play there. There will be another change, possibly in midfield,” said Derrick.
Pune FC were on an unbeaten 11 match unbeaten streak which ended in the last game against Sporting Clube at the same venue. Pune FC started quite well as Keita Mandjou scored two goals inside 22 minutes but then allowed themselves to be dominated by the hosts who pumped in four goals.
“I think the weather was the biggest factor. We played in the chill of Shillong and the came to humid Goa. In-between there was the travel and we didn’t have much time to recover. That affected us,” said the Pune FC coach.

Air India look to consolidate position

PUNE: After a brave outing against Churchill Brothers, Air India has an easy match against HAL Bangalore in the 19th round I League match at the Balewadi Sports Complex Ground, Pune, on Sunday.
The Mumbai side will very well remember that the Bangalore team, which remained winless for 16 rounds, scored its first win of the season and indirectly helped Mumbai FC to stay clear of drop zone for a while.Though Air India is well clear of relegation zone, but given the way they have played so far and gathered respectable points, the airmen would like to be that way and finish on a high before I-League takes 40-odd-day break.
Air India will be propped up by the return of striker Henry Ezeh, and mid-fielder Takayuki Omi, both having forced to miss the Churchill match due to double bookings.
With 24 points from 18 matches, Air India is just three points behind Sporting Clube de Goa and three ahead of fast-approaching Shillong Lajong FC (21), who play Pailan Arrows on Sunday.
While HAL are at the bottom of the heap with 6 points and nothing really can change their fortunes at least for this season.
There were few worries for Air India as muffed several opportunities against Churchil, and key spoiler was midfielder Sandeep Sangha, who missed at least four chances to get the ball through Churchill’s net.
On most occasions, an over-ambitious Sangha fired over the crossbar, while once he completely missed the ball that landed in front of him when he had just the goalkeeper to beat. Peeved Kashyap replaced Sangha, as the match wore on.
Then there was Sandesh Gadkari, who also seemed lackluster in front of the goal mouth.
Though Manandeep is in fine nick, but luck wasn’t with him and Air India. Another positive that Air India can take into the match is custodian Pawan Kumar’s form, who saved several approaches by Churchill strikers.
Meanwhile, Ramalingam Thyagraj’s HAL, on the other hand will have to do a lot to tighten its defence.on this ground, this is HAL’s third match of the season having lost against Pune FC (3-1) and Mumbai FC (4-0).
But they also have happy memories of Balewadi, when the Bangalore side has troubled Pune FC last season.
In head-to-head though, Air India leads 2-0 in three matches with one match being drawn.

Chirag up against Sporting Clube

KOCHI: Chirag United Kerala would host Sporting Clube de Goa, in the 19th round I League encounter, at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi, on Sunday.
Sporting Clube de Goa and Chirag United Kerala are two clubs that are at the two extremes. If their recent forms are to be taken into consideration. The Goan are on a dream run in the I-League since last few rounds with a six match unbeaten streak, while their opponents from Kerala have now have lost four games on the trot.
Sporting are going into this game, following a 4-2 thrashing of Pune FC at Goa, thanks partly to a brace from their Nigerian midfielder Ogba Kalu Nnanna and largely to an all round performance from Ekendra Singh's boys.
While, Chirag United were down to nine men in their last round clash against Mohun Bagan and lost to them 3-1 despite putting up a good fight against them.
The absence of Captain and midfield general Ajayan K would be a huge set back for the Chirag, as he has to sit out due to injury. In his absence either Rehenesh TP or Sharath K are expected to be in the starting eleven.
Meanwhile, Sporting Clube, midfielder Adil Khan is expected to return to the squad after a lay off in the last match. He might now partner Ogba Kalu in the midfield with Dawson Fernandez and Sudanese striker James Moga heading the attack against the depleted Chirag line up.
Sporting clube stays at 27 points while Chirag have eleven points to their name.
The kick off is slated for 6:30 PM on Sunday.

Two-month long camp awaits the selected kids: Toal

KALYANI: The ending of the AIFF U-14 Football Fest marks a new beginning for Indian Football. With the Regional Academies knocking at the door, Colm Joseph Toal, Head Coach, Youth Development spoke at length to www.the-aiff.com on the number of boys spotted, the selection procedure for the Academies and much more. EXCERPTS:

There were nine selectors in the AFC U-14 Fest in Kalyani. How many boys have they spotted?

The nine selectors have had a close look at all the boys and we have spotted 75 boys from different state teams who would be a part of a future Coaching-cum-Selection Camp beginning in March.

How long would the Camp last? Would you have a look at more boys in the Camp?

We intend to begin the Camp from the second week of March. The 75 boys chosen from the Fest would be there for three weeks from which 30 boys would be shortlisted. The shortlisted 30 kids would represent India in the AFC U-14 Fest scheduled to be held in Kathmandu.

The 30 boys would then be joined by a new bunch. The lot would comprise of boys chosen from the Subroto Cup, the U-16 Nationals (boys born in 1998) and the set of boys chosen by Scott O’Donell from Open Trials. The Camp would go on till mid-May form which the batches for the Regional Academies would be finalised.

Are you satisfied with the quality of the boys you have chosen from the AIFF U-14 Fest?

The boys are good but are not necessarily the best in the country. The same pertains to the set of boys who were shortlisted from the U-16 National Championship. It’s unfortunate the State Associations are not selecting and sending their best teams for such Championships.

Could you elaborate?

I can give you an example. The Meghalaya State Football Association had a three-week Preparatory Camp ahead of the AIFF U-14 Fest. They had 18 district teams playing against each other from where they selected the best boys. And it’s evident in their play in Kalyani. Had all State Associations addressed it likewise, we could have got the best boys playing here.

Are you happy with the manner the AIFF U-14 Fest has been conducted?

Kalyani is a small suburban town and arranging a fest of such a magnitude without any hiccups speaks volumes for the organisers. We shouldn’t forget we had 590 boys from 27 State Teams staying, eating, travelling and playing together.

I wish we had more fields of the same quality in other States as the two playing fields at the Kalyani Stadium. The infrastructure here is magnificent.

East Bengal all set to host Bagan in Kolkata derby

KOLKATA: In an another Kolkata derby, Kingfisher East Bengal would take on their traditional rivals McDowells Mohun Bagan, in the curcial 19th round I League encounter, at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday.
Both teams are at a critical juncture in their season with East Bengal on 34 points from 18 matches, while Mohun Bagan are just a point behind from 18 outings.
The Mariners did win the first encounter between the two sides earlier. But Saturday’s tie is the "home" match for Red and Gold and it is to be seen if they can register win in their home colours.
The coach of East Bengal Trevor Morgan said, “There is no additional pressure of this match, the way people are making it out to be. It is another important I-League match with 3 points at stake. Bagan is playing well and Odafa Okalie is their main man upfront as he has been regularly among the goal scorers. However, we have plans and hope we would stick to them.”
Technical Director of Mohun Bagan, Subrata Bhattacharya when asked whether he was looking forward to a hat trick of wins over KEB said, He did not look at it like that, “Despite having beaten them in the local League and in the first leg of the I-League, we really can’t afford to take them lightly, we have to stay focused.”
When asked about the inclusion of India International Syed Rahim Nabi, who did not practice with the team “If he will be fully fit then only he would be playing otherwise many players have the capability to replace him for the match,” he quipped.
It is to be seen in this top of the table clash that, whether, Mohun Bagan would be able to leapfrog East Bengal or the host would keep the honour to remain at the top.

From the History books:
East Bengal - 331st match and have scored 476 goals in I League/NFL.
Mohun Bagan - 317th match and have scored 420 goals in I League/NFL.
Both the teams have scored 32 goals each in this season's league at the end of 18th round.

Head to Head in I League:
Total Matches - 29
East Bengal Won - 12
Mohun Bagan Won - 10
Drawn - 7
East Bengal Goals - 33
Mohun Bagan Goals - 27

Last Five Meetings in I League:
Mohun Bagan beat East Bengal 5-3 (25.10.09 )
Mohun Bagan beat East Bengal 2-1 (16.5.10 )
Mohun Bagan d/w East Bengal 1-1 (6.2.11)
East Bengal beat Mohun Bagan 2-1 (9.4.11 )
Mohun Bagan beat East Bengal 1-0 (20.11.11 )

Leading Scorers in I League/NFL Derby Clashes
Jose Barreto - 7 (All for Mohun Bagan)
Baichung Bhutia - 6 (2 for East Bengal and 4 for Mohun Bagan)
Syed Rahim Nabi - 4 (All for East Bengal)

Head to Head in All Tournaments
Total Matches - 300
East Bengal - 112
Mohun Bagan Won - 85
Drawn - 103
East Bengal Goals - 272
Mohun Bagan Goals - 226
Leading Scorers:
Baichung Bhutia - 19 (13 for East Bengal and 6 for Mohun Bagan)
Jose Barreto - 17 (All for East Bengal)

Langsning beat Golden Threads

Langsning FC 3 (Shin Ho Jun – 59th, Ailad K Kynta – 65th, Shin Ho Sung – 69th)

Beat
Golden Threads 1(Shemeer AJ – 17th)

New Delhi: Three goals in ten minutes from Langsning helped the Meghalaya outfit beat Kerala’s Golden Threads 3-1, in the 2nd division I League match played at Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium on Thursday.
Golden Threads scored in the 15th minute when Shemeer AJ’s, 20 yarder had Langsning custodian stranded beneath the post.
With Golden Threads having the better time on the field in the first half they failed to capitalise on the chances that came their way. At lemon break Kerala outfit was leading by a solitary goal.
The start of the second half saw Langsning dominating the game and Shin Ho Jun restored parity for them in 59th minute off a free kick from outside the top of the box.
Aliad K Kynta helped the Meghalaya side took the lead in the 65th minute as his sizzling right footer had Jennesh Thomas diving in vain.
Langsning didn’t have to wait much to increase their lead to 3-1 as four minutes later Shin ho Jun found the back of the net to seal the fate of the game in his teams favor.
Ailad K Kynta of Langsning was adjudged man of the match for his sterling performance.

Shimla Youngs 0
d/w
Luangmual FC 0

Shimla Youngs hold Luangmual

New Delhi: In an another match Shimla Youngs and Luangmual FC played goalless draw, in the 2nd division I League encounter at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi, on Thursday.
Till the full time both the teams failed to break the deadlock. The best chance of the match came in 35th minute when Young’s Ravi Jugde tripped Malsawm Tluanga in the penalty area.
But Denghming Thanga muffed the opportunity, when he kicked straight into the hands of Youngs custodian Varinder Singh.

Silchar: 1) United Sikkim FC beat Bhawanipore FC 3-2
Cuttack: 1) Gauhati Town Club beat Quartz FC4-0
2) Kalighat MS beat Techno Aryan FC 2-1

Pailan, Salgaocar SC play goalless draw

Pailan Arrows 0

d/w

Salgaocar SC

KOLKATA: Pailan Arrows managed to pull off a 0-0 draw at home to Salagaocar SC, who have been in a good runoff late in the 18^thround I-League encounter played at the Yuba Bharati Krinangan , Kolkata on Thursday.

The draw leaves Salgaocar with 30 points from 18 encounters while Pailan stays at 8 points from 16 outings.

Salgaocar SC started upfront heavily relying on Edeh Chidi and Ryuji Sueoka to create inroads in the Pailan defense, but this was hardly the case.

The match started with a few scruffy passes and Pailan Arrows pressing Salgaocar in their own half and the first chance of the match was only in the 17th mintue when Francis Fernandes and Ryuji Seuoka combined well and Ryuji pulled the ball back for Ishfaq Ahmed but goalkeeper Ravi Kumar did well to save it.

In the 39th minute CS Sabeeth of Pailan did well to find himself in space but attempting to chip it over Salgaocar SC keeper Karanjit Singh he ended up putting the ball out.

The second half started like the first and there wasn't much tempo. A half chance fell to Salgoacar in the 78th minute of play when Edeh Chidi couldnt capitalise.

Pailan Arrows could have won the match in injury time when Ajay Singh was almost thorough on goal but Karanjit Singh came out very alert and managed to keep the scores level.

The Man of the Match was awarded to Ryuji Sueoka.

Churchill Brothers SC 1 (Roberto Silva – 30^th)

Beat

Air India 0

Churchill scrape past Air India

PUNE: Churchill Brothers secured full points from their 18^thround encounter played against Air India and placed themselves in a perfect position to threaten fellow Goan rivals, Dempo SC, in the race to the top as they have a game in hand in the I-League football championship.

Captain Roberto ‘Beto’ Silva scored on second rebound following a free-kick in the 30^th minute and that was enough for Churchill to hang on and win 1-0 at the Balewadi Sports Complex ground on Thursday.

Churchill are now have 33 points, one point behind East Bengal and seven off leaders Dempo, but they have a game in hand that could prove decider towards the end of the league. While Air India stays at 24 points from 18 matches.

Both teams missed the services of their first choice strikers—Henry Antchouet and ND Opara for Churchill and Henry Ezeh and Takayuki Omi for Air India—but still the Goans showed they had good reserves.

Air India, nonetheless, found some cracks in Churchill defence and sneaked in, but the home team’s finishing was not up to the mark. Sandeep Sangha’s sent at least four wayward shots from the top of the box after he was handed a golden chance as early as in the ninth minute.

Churchill’s goal was set up when Balan took freekick that landed behind the wall and on second rebound, Beto pounced on the chance and let the ball stroll into the post.

Air India replied through Lamine Tamba making a move with Manandeep Singh and Sandesh Gadkari taking the ball forward. But then, Sangha fired the ball way over the crossbar in the 36^thminute.

On resumption, Air India showed some urgency to find and equalizer. But then without Takayuki and Henry, they really struggled. But Manandeep was a revelation as he created at least three chances in the second half but failed to get support upfront.

Man-of-the-match was awarded to Churchill’s Roberto Silva.

Another invasion into the male bastion

KALYANIl: Trends -- they are meant to be broken. The chauvinistic male has always dreamt of wearing black. They still can, but the monopoly no more stays.

Chimchim Serto, presently on duty in the AIFF U-14 Football Fest in Kalyani, stays one among the 23 Women Referees in India at the moment. And as per Chimchim, “the gang is increasing.”

Col. (Retd). Gautam Kar, Head of Referees Department, AIFF, smiles. “They are most welcome. If they pass the Fitness Test, they are even entitled to supervise Men’s matches,” Kar, who stayed the Match Commissioner for Asia’s biggest Club-match in 2011, the AFC Champions League, maintains.

“When you have a Women’s Referee, it’s bound to draw more attention. But to me, the gender stays immaterial.”

“I dream of becoming a FIFA Referee soon,” 23-year old Chimchim, who hails from Manipur, quips. At present, Maria Rebello stays the sole Women’s FIFA Referee in India.

“I have represented Manipur as a striker in Women’s Nationals and have played at the University Level,” Chimchim, in her squeaky voice, informs.

On the field, nevertheless, the squeak is almost a roar. The supervision impresses her colleagues, Tamnay Dhar, Subroto Burman and Kunal Sarkar. “She is as good as any male referee,” stays the compliment. Chimchim blushes.

“As referees, we ought to have confidence in our colleagues all the time. And with Chimchim, we stay assured,” they say unanimously.

We turn to Chimchim. Do you have trouble with the players?  “No.”

Do they try to look down on you being a Woman Referee? “Never.”

Do they listen to you? “No.”

Do they stay happy with your decisions? “Always.”

Referees and players being the best of pals – unheard off, but only till now.

“The Sporting Culture in Manipur helps one to groom as a sportsperson,” Chimchim, who recently got a job with Manipur Police, maintains. “My fitness regime begins early morning. There are various levels of sprinting. At first, I am supposed to sprint 150metres in 35 seconds. And it goes on.”

“Concentration is also an quintessential part of a referee’s lifespan. The discipline in life is always reflected on the field,” a philosophical Chimchim, playing with the ball in her hand, reflects. “A referee has to be a born leader,” she goes on. “I have some special exercises to improve concentration. You can call it a part of meditation.”

Her whistle blows and the match kicks-off -- you watch from a distance. Footballs being a body-contact sport, even at the U-14 level, tempers do run high. Chimchim rushes to the spot and her ‘roar’ takes over the rein.

The whistle blows again and the ball moves to the other part of the field. Chimchim sprints, and sprints fast. I check my earlier scribbles – ‘150 metres in 35 seconds.’

You overhear someone from the crowd speaking in the local dialect. “Mohila referee ta kintu bhalo khelachhen.” (The Women Referee is supervising in the right manner.

Bigger Tests await me: Karanjit

Name                 :  Karanjit Singh

DOB                  :  08/01/1986

Birth place         : Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India

Nick name          :  Karan

Playing Position  :  Goalkeeper

Teams played for : JCT & Salgaocar SC(Present)

Karanjit Singh, who has hogged the limelight in recent past has become the first preference of National Coach Savio Medeira to guard the post. Known for his quick reflexes and agility, the young custodian from Punjab has stood up to the everyone’s expectations, especially with 'Spiderman' Subrata Pal staying out of action.

Hailing from rural village of Punjab, Hoshiarpur, Karanjit started playing when he was 15. This young prodigy was spotted by former National Coach Sukhwinder Singh, in one of the local tournaments.

And immediately he was called for JCT by Sukhwinder in 2004 and since then has never looked back. After a stint of 6 long years with JCT, Karanjit ventured out -- moving to Goan giants Salgaocar SC where the die-hard Petr Cech fan helped Salgaocar land the I-League and Federation Cup.

His break with the National Side came on 23^rd July, 2011 against United Arab Emirates in the World Cup Qualifiers. Subrata Pal was red-carded and Karanjit grabbed his chance.

“Representing the Nation stays everyone’s dream. The opportunity came a bit unexpectedly and I had to perform,” Karanjit exults.

“A goalkeeper is all about concentration. You need to act fast and on impulse.”

Part of the SAFF Championship winning squad, Karanjit’s next big challenge comes in the AFC Challenge Cup scheduled to kick-off in Kathmandu form March 8. 2012. “I have just started may career. Bigger tests await me. Life is challenging. I’m loving it.”

Kids, Kids every where, all of them to pick

KALYANI: Kids, kids every where, all of them to pick!

The size of the kids in the AIFF U-14 Football Fest, more-o-less stays the same. After all, they all are U-14 kids -- kids from 27 States all over the Country, 590 in all. And mind you, all of them share a common dream – the dream of representing the Nation someday in the future.

Head Coach, Youth Development Programme, Colm Joseph Toal stays an instant hit with all of them. The moment they see the white-haired gentleman, they come running, a desperate chase -- as if they are chasing the ball.

Most don’t carry mobiles at this age. Hence, the moment they reach, they look around to see if anyone can click them with Colm. Never mind if they don’t get a hard copy of the photograph; they will carry the memories lifelong.

The positive mindset that has been so synonymous with Colm stays evident. Colm shakes hands, asks them their name and which state they represent. Even as Colm signs autographs on their arms, the others who have spotted the conversation a bit late, are also running in.

“They are kids,” Colm exclaims. “Good kids,” he smiles.

Not all, but most know Colm by his name. “I know him. His name is Colm Toal. He is our India’s Head Coach for the Juniors,” Mizoram defender Michael Lalruattluanga is admired by the rest.  

The others join in. “Which country does he belong to? And it goes on, till the time their Manager reminds them they are supposed to play next. The boys run again, this time to kick-off.

“Some of the kids have really impressed me,” Scott O’Donell, Technical Manager, Regional and Elite Academies, gets down to business. “We are here to spot talent. India is a vast country and the more boys we see, the better.”

By the way, O’Donell also stays an instant hit with the kids.

“Generally, from such a Fest, we select boys for the AFC U-14 Fests. But this time, we are looking to spot kids for the Regional Academies,” Colm adds.

The Kalyani Stadium, overlooking the vast lake, projects the most breathtaking view in Indian Football. The ground stays soft and lush green, something which AIFF Technical Director Rob Baan feels, “you can play European club-level football on.”

“We have over 30 full-size football playing fields within a radius of 7kms,” informs Dr. Pradip Sur, the Chairman of the Kalyani Municipality.

The enthusiasm at Food Court, where more than 350 kids can have their meals at one time, stays infectious. That stays the place where the kids mingle among themselves on the table -- different languages with different cultures and habits having the same meal together. And they just finish it off at one-go. You wonder – ‘Aren’t they supposed to have different food habits too?’

Outside the Food Court, you’d always spot some boys shaking a leg to ‘Waka, Waka…” They however, stand still the moment you spot them.

On the field, nevertheless, the spotting goes on. Besides, Scott and Colm, there’s National Coach Savio Medeira, Goalkeeping Coach Marcus Pacheco, former India Internationals Aqeel Ansari, Gautam Ghosh, Tarun Roy and Francisco Bruto da Costa and Hilal Rasool Parray – nine in all.

The day for the spotters, begin early. By 7.45am, they are all in their seats (matches go on in three different venues and kick-off at 8am) and once the day action ends around 4.30pm, they get down to a brain storming session which usually lasts around 90 minutes and often go down to extra-time.

Everyone tries to have a glance at the folders they carry. There are Jersey Numbers written on them with the names – some ticked, some crossed.

Kids, kids everywhere, all of them to pick. Early evening, there’s a chill in the Kalyani air. By the time they leave, the sprinkers at the Kalyani Stadium stay in full flow – watering the roots of the grass.

U-14 Fest: Groupings for Format 2 finalised

KALYANI: The Format 1 is over and it’s time for Format 2 at the AIFF U-14 Football Fest in Kalyani. Under it, the 27 Participating Teams in the AIFF U-14 Football Fest in Kalyani have been divided into five groups. Format 2 kicks-off on Thursday (February 2).

Group A and B which consists of five teams each have been comprised of stronger teams based on sustained performance in the first couple of days.

All matches in this Format would be of one-hour duration which would have two halves of 30-minutes each. The teams would be fielding two different Playing XI in both the halves.  

The Groups are as follows: 

Group A: Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal.

Group B: Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Chandigarh, Goa.

Group C: Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Bihar, J&K,Tripura.

Group D: Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa.

Group E: Delhi, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh.

I didn’t drop Climax, I rested him: Savio Medeira

KALYANI: National Coach Savio Medeira cannot live life without football. Keen to dismiss the myth that National Coaches are all about the Senior Team, Savio who’s acting as a spotter at the AIFF U-14 Football Fest in Kalyani, spoke at length to www.the-aiff.com about the new challenge, the forthcoming AFC Challenge Cup and other burning issues. EXCERPTS:

Football connoisseurs are quite amazed by your presence at an U-14 Football Fest. What’s your role?

I’m acting as a spotter in the ongoing U-14 Football Fest. The All India Football Federation stays keen in stitching it right at their Youth Development Programme. The intent appealed a lot to me and when I got the call, I took less than a minute to decide that I should be here. It’s nice to see good talent who would be flag bearers of Indian Football in the future.

The Preparatory Camp for the AFC Challenge would be kicking-off in Dubai. Are you happy with Dubai as a venue?

Absolutely! The facilities in Dubai facilitate good football. We have been getting good exposure in recent years and prior to such a vital Tournament, such a Tour would help us immensely. We would be playing one International Friendly against Oman and possibly another against some other country.

How much does Jeje Lalpeklua’s injury affect the balance of the team?

It has upset our plans no doubt. Jeje is a player who can hold onto the ball and shield it allowing the midfielders to rush in. You cannot have a readymade replacement for him. He is someone who can make that difference in a crunch match. But at the same time, it stays a chance for others to grab the opportunity.

What went into your mind when you dropped Climax Lawrence?

I didn’t drop him; rather I rested him. In such a Tournament such as the AFC Challenge Cup, you ought to play every alternate day. The recovery time stays minimal. He has been playing regularly in the I-League and for the last decade, his body has taken a toll. Hence, he didn’t figure in my plans for the AFC Challenge Cup. I did speak to him prior to my decision.

I’ve heard Climax has announced his retirement. But to me retirement is just a word. There have been so many players who have come out of retirement to play again. He would be playing Club Football in any case. If he stays physically and mentally tough, he can always play for the Nation.

India are the Defending Champions of the AFC Challenge Cup. What can the fans expect in Kathmandu this time?

Such Tournaments are very tricky. A good start can always work wonders. We need to stay in the right frame of mind and stay free of injuries. This is a tough bunch. I keep my fingers crossed.

I have spotted some exceptional boys: O’Donell

KALYANI (WB): Even as 590 kids from all over the Country play football in ‘the

best ground of the country’ in the AIFF U-14 Football Fest, the AIFF
spotters keep a close eye on all of them. Scott O’Donell, Technical
Manager, Regional and Elite Academies spoke at length to

www.the-aiff.comon the significance of the Fest, the plans ahead and
other related issues.
*EXCERPTS:*

*What is the significance of the AIFF U-14 Football Fest?*

The Fest forms an integral part of the selection for the future National
Team. At the moment, we would be recruiting boys for the Regional Academies
from the Fest. There are State Teams who are making a significant progress
on the field as we are progressing. The momentum is picking up.

*Are you impressed with the quality of the boys?*

This is just the second day of the Fest. As we progress, we would be having
stronger teams playing against each other. That would be fun. But yeah, the
quality of some boys from Mizoram and Meghalaya, have been exceptional.

*Do such Fests form the bedrock of developed Footballing Nations?*

Not always. For example, in Australia, the National Championships form the
platform for the future. In an ideal situation, the best talent was
supposed to be at such a tournament. But I understand that doesn’t always
happen here. Hence, we are looking for more options.

Savio names 30-member list for Dubai Camp

New Delhi : The list of 30 Probables named by National Coach Savio
Medeira for the Training Camp for the forthcoming AFC Challenge Cup which
kicks-off in Kathmandu on March 8, 2012.

The Camp for the Indian Team will kick-off in Dubai from February 15. The
squad will assemble in New Delhi on February 134 and leave for Dubai the
next day. The final list of 23-Players for the AFC Challenge Cup would be
named later.

The list of probables:

*Goalkeepers:* Karanjit Singh (Salgaocar), Subhasish Roychowdhury (Dempo

SC), Arindam Bhattacharya (Churchill Brothers), Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
(Kingfisher East Bengal).

*Defenders:* Nirmal Chhetri, Raju Gaikwad (both Kingfisher East Bengal),

Sameer Naik (Dempo SC), Gourmangi Singh (Churchill Brothers), Anwar Ali,
Kinsukh Debnath, Syed Rahim Nabi (all McDowell Mohun Bagan), Arnab Mondal
(Prayag United), Gurjinder Singh (Pune FC).

*Midfielders:* Adil Khan (Sporting Clube de Goa), Anthony Pereira, Clifford

Miranda (both Dempo), Reisangmi Vashum (Kingfisher East Bengal), Baldeep
Singh, Lester Fernandes (both Pune FC), Rocus Lamare, Francis Fernandes
(both Salgaocar SC), Jewel Raja, Manish Mathani (McDowell Mohun Bagan),
Lenny Rodrigues, Lalrindika Ralte (both Churchill Brothers).

*Forwards:* Sunil Chhetri (McDowell Mohun Bagan), Sushil Singh (Shillong

Lajong FC – on loan), CS Sabeeth (Pailan Arrows), Manandeep Singh (Air
India), Joaquim Abranches (Dempo SC).

Mohun Bagan thrash Chirag United 3-1

McDowells Mohun Bagan 3 (Odafa Okolie – 35^th & 84^th and Jose Barreto – 86^th)

Beat

Chirag United Kerala 1 (Anil Kumar – 47^th)

KOCHI: Odafa Okolie scored a brace to help McDowells Mohun Bagan beat Chirag United Kerala 3-1 in the 18^th round I League encounter played at the

Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi on Tuesday.

Odafa scored twice off penalty in 35^th and 84^th minute while Jose Barreto scored apiece in 86^th minute. Anil Kumar scored the solitary goal for Chirag United in 47^th minute.

Bagan were playing without Sunil Chhetri and Syed Rahim Nabi. But the duo of Odafa Okolie and Jose Barreto proved to be enough to rattle the low on confidence home side.

The home side started on a positive note with Anil Kumar and David Sunday who are playing upfront in the absence of Ajayan, looked to have been working well for Chirag. But their dominance lasted only for the 30 minutes as their opponents were at their attacking best.

The first goal was scored off penalty by Odafa who made no mistake to give the lead to the maroon brigade in the 35^th minute. The scoreline remained unchanged till the halftime.

Changing over, Chirag United equalised when Anil Kumar slotted in off Asif's lofted pass just a two minutes into the second half.

Chirag upped their game after scoring the goal and managed to create couple of chances upfront. But fortunes were overturn in the 84^th minute as Odafa again scored from spot, when Jimshad U handled the ball on the goalline, prompting referee Rowan to show the second red card and award a penalty.

There was still time left for one more goal as Jose Barreto found the back of the net to score the third goal for Bagan in the 86^th minute.

Odafa Okolie was adjudged man of the match.

Mohun Bagan now have 33 points from 18 matches just one point behind East Bengal and four behind leaders Dempo SC. While Chirag stay on 11points from 17 outings.

Prayag United stuns East Bengal 1-0

KOLKATA: Kayne Vincent struck injury time goal to help Prayag United beat Kingfisher East Bengal 1-0 at the Yuba Bharati Krinangan on Tuesday. The win takes Prayag United to 32 points from 18 matches just two points behind red and gold who are on 34 points from the 18 outings.

East Bengal started with lone striker Tolgay Ozbey upfront while Prayag had Kayne Vincent playing just behind their Brasilian centre forward Joshimar.

The match did not have many open chances as East Bengal had only four shots on target in the entire match while Prayag United managed just five.

In the first half the best chance fell to East Bengal when Tolgay tried to find the back of the net on a header, but his header was brilliantly saved by Abhijjeet Mondal the Prayag’s goalkeeper.

In the second half a long ranger from James Singh of Prayag United in the 62nd minute was well saved by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who had to dive to his right to save the shot.

Edmilson Marques the new centre forward who replaced Alan Gow in the East Bengal team came in for Penn Orji in the 72nd minute but did not have any clear chances to score.

In an disastrous move in the 92nd minute, East Bengal was awarded a corner to which Gurpreet Singh Sandhu went up to the Prayag’s box to help in what could have been the last chance of the match.

However, the corner was cleared and ball fell to Kayne Vincent who picked the it up and ran towards an empty East Bengal half and then tapped in the ball past Saumik Dey, who tried to keep the ball out with his hands.

The loss has now puts a dent on East Bengals title credentials while Prayag United are now back in fray to contest for top slot.

Kayne Vincent of Prayag was adjudged man of the match.

Resurgent Sporting Clube face Pune FC

GOA: Sporting Clube de Goa have been forced to reshuffle most of their side as they come face to face against the rejuvenated Pune FC in the 18^th round I League encounter at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Wednesday.

Sporting Clube saw two of their players -- Jovel Martins and Adil Khan -- sent off in the last match against Prayag United. And as if that was not enough, influential defender Keita Boubacar will also miss the next tie due to a double booking.

“We are facing huge problems at the back. Keita is suspended, Jovel got sent off in the last match and Boboi Singh was injured against Mohun Bagan when Odafe elbowed him. It will be a tough ask to come up with a strong defence,” said Sporting technical director Alex Alvares.

Sporting Clube are now unbeaten in their last five matches, winning three and drawing the other two. The team has generally looked good and Alvares is hoping they carry the momentum against the visitors.

“Despite the setbacks, our advantage is that we are playing at home. The players are motivated and I am sure they will grab full points,” said Alvares.

With Keita suspended, it remains to be seen whether Alvares will start with South African striker Park Jae-Hyun or decides to field the strong Dawson Fernandes to partner South Sudan striker James Moga.

“We have not as yet finalized the starting eleven. Since there will be plenty of changes to the side, we intend to finalize the squad only on the morning of the match. I need to monitor the fitness of a couple of players,” said the Sporting technical director.

Pune FC are now unbeaten for nine matches and have looked good enough to give any side a run for their money. With Abhra Mondal guarding in goal and Keita Mandjou striking with ease, Derrick Pereira’s side have only grown in stature.

Sporting Clube stays at 24 points from 17 matches while Pune FC have 28 points from 17 outings.

Mumbai FC up against Dempo SC

Pune: Fighting to stay out of relegation zone, Mumbai FC face an uphill task, when they meet league leaders Dempo SC in the 18^thround I League encounter at the Balewadi Sports Complex ground, on Wednesday.

If Mumbai FC gets back on its winnings ways after five losses on the trot—its last win came at home on Balewadi Sports Complex ground against Prayag United SC.

Mumbai job gets tougher with two back-to-back matches against title contenders and leaders Dempo SC on Wednesday and second against Churchill Brothers over the weekend.

“Morale of the team is low after losing to Air India in Mumbai last week. And with Dempo as next opponent, it doesn’t help, but our boys would put in more than 100 percent tomorrow and see whether we can win at least a point against Goan giants,” said Mumbai FC manager Henry Picardo.

Dempo is best in the business and after little slump in December, they are back to where they deserve. With 37 points from 17 matches

“The way Dempo has played so far is very impressive. They are best in India no doubt, but our job is to give them a tough fight,” added Picardo.

The match has been rescheduled by one hour to be played at 4 pm after both the teams agreed to the timings.

“We had a meeting today and even Dempo wanted to play at 4 pm because now light is there beyond 6 pm,” informed Picardo.

Dempo are at 37 points from 17 matches while Mumbai stays at 14 points from 17 outings.

HAL face Shillong Lajong

BANGALORE: Bottom-placed HAL Bangalore who registered their first win of the season against Chirag United are all set take on Shillong Lajong FC in the 18^th round I League encounter at the Bangalore Football stadium, on Wednesday.

Post the win, the Aircraftmen looked far more relaxed, which also reflected in their practice session at the match venue. HAL manager M Muralidharan did not reveal much about the game. However, he’ll be missing R C Prakash, out due to double booking.  Also, quite apparent that he is going with the same plan that fetched him three-points.

Shillong Lajong FC coach Pradhyum Reddy who expects his team to secure all the points against the lowly placed HAL will be missing heavily on midfielder Rennedy Singh, out injured, another player signed on the January transfer window.

“We have to stay alert of HAL, they are a capable side and had registered their first win. They will be out to score another win,” Reddy quipped with cautious approach.

Shillong Lajong stays at 18 points from 17 matches while HAL is languishing at the bottom of the table with 6 points from 17 outings.

Match is slated for 3 pm on Wednesday 01/02/2012.