I-league Division 2 qualifiers

The only Bangalore connection in I-League other than HAL, BEML, is all set to take part in the qualifiers of I-league Division 2.

The latest is that the public sector team has been rebranded as KGF Academy - keeping aligned with the AFC guidelines, they’ve dropped their company name. Certainly a positive step in long run and KGF Academy is the first public sector enterprise to achieve this feat.

KGF Academy (erstwhile BEML) had a disappointing outing in the local league last season. They came in 6^th position in a 12-team Super Division League. However, since then, the team is under the tutelage of former star striker, Raman Vijayan. The AFC coaching license B holder, Raman, is trying to build this new team with the promising players. He has retained only 6 players from last season.

KGF academy is placed in Group C along with Mohammedan Sporting, Vasco, Golden Threads, Luangmual FC, Simla Youngs, Langsing FC, and PIFA Colaba.

All the matches in the group leg will be played in Delhi.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the final round. The final round will be played in one of the two venues – Siliguri and Gangtok. After relegating from I-League Division 1, ONGC have been directly seeded into the final round.

• Round 1: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 KGF Academy 1 (Stephen–36') Vs Mohammedan Sporting, Kolkata 4 (Stanley Cyprian–30', Sankar Sil–34', Surabuddin Mullick–54', Alfred K Jaryan–57')
  
• Round 2: Saturday, February 4, 2012 KGF Academy 0 Vs Simla Youngs, New Delhi 1 (89'-Junya Kato)
• Round 3: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 KGF Academy 0 Vs Vasco, Goa 3 (Andrew Igago 14', Gerose Oliveria 31', Esha Alihah 77')
• Round 4: Friday, February 10, 2012 KGF Academy 0 Vs Langsing Sports Club, Meghalaya 1 (Yinka Joel Sunday-22')
• Round 5: Monday, February 13, 2012 KGF Academy 4 (Stephen-3', Emmanuel Okoko-6', 55', Murugappan-67') Vs Golden Threads, Kerala 2 (Arun KJ-59', Jimmy Abraham-89')
  
• Round 6: Thursday, February 16, 2012 KGF Academy 3 (Emmanuel Okoko-39', Amoes-41', Monday Ugboji-81') Vs PIFA Colaba, Mumbai 1 (Nagesha Swamy-44')
  
• Round 7: Sunday, February 19, 2012 KGF Academy 7 (Emmanuel Okoro-8', 23', 26', 43', 45', 47', 67') Vs Luangmual, Mizoram 1 (H Lalthangliana-10')