Captain of ITI Federation Cup winning team PS Lionel no more

PS Lionel, the captain of the first edition of Federation Cup champion, Indian Telephone Industries, Bengaluru, passed away yesterday at his residence at Horamavu. 

Lionel was a true representative of the bygone days of typical Mysuru brand footballers, who relied on playing short passes, and quick exchanges of positions to baffle the opposition. His best days were witnessed in Calcutta when Lionel, along with a few other Mysuru footballers, Ramanna, Pappana, and Anthony Andrews. 

Lionel returned back to hometown to join ITI after playing with much success in Chennai and Calcutta. Prior to that he represented several local teams like Bangalore Mars, Muslim Heroes, 515 Army Base Workshop, and HAL. ITI went on winning the inaugural Federation Cup in 1977 at Ernakulam, Kerala under his captaincy. 

During Lionel's tenure, ITI was regarded as one of the best footbball clubs in the country. His body was taken to Christian Cemetery, Ulsoor, the burial services took place today evening. The football fraternity were present in numbers to pay last homage to the great footballer. 

   

Former state captain, member of Federation Cup winning ITI team Kantharaj no more

A Kantharaj, 75, former captain of Karnataka state football team and ITI passed away last Friday, February 25 morning 7 am at his residence in Hoskote. 

Kantharaj was employed with and a part of the all-conquering Bangalore’s Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) team that won many tournaments but most importantly the first edition of Federation Cup in 1977.

Known for his robustness and leadership skills, Kantharaj was regular in the Santosh Trophy team thru the 70s. His most important feat was in 1976 State Nationals where he lost of Bengal in the final.

Later, Kantharaj focussed on developing football near his area of residence, he formed Town SC Hoskote. This football club was regular in BDFA C Division League. He was an integral part of Karnataka State Football Association (KSFA) and served as a general body member in KSFA.

Kantharaj is survived by his wife and three sons. The burial service took place on Saturday morning. The football association condoled the death of the former star and prayed for his bereaved family. Also, a minute’s silence was observed during the games in Friday’s A Division Women’s League. 

 

S Thomas the first Federation Cup winning coach passes away

S Thomas, football player of the 60s, who turned up for the top clubs of India and coached the first Federation Cup winning team, ITI passed away today early morning at his residence. 

Thomas was 77 years old and was suffering from heart ailment. He left his only daughter, unfortunately, Thomas lost his wife only fifty days ago. 

During the heydays, Thomas played for East Bengal (63-66) and Mohammedan Sporting (67-71). He represented Karnataka in Santosh Trophy for five years.

Bengaluru take on Maziya in must-win AFC Cup clash

Bengaluru FC Media 

Less than two weeks after being crowned Federation Cup champions, Bengaluru FC will be competing in a second ‘final’ when Albert Roca’s side takes on Maziya S&RC in the AFC Cup at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Wednesday. In a group that’s tantalizingly poised, one of either Bengaluru or Maziya will make it through to the next stage in what is the last round of group stage fixtures.

While Maziya can get the job done with a draw, only victory will punch Bengaluru’s ticket to the next round and Roca says his boys are up to the task. “The game against Maziya is another final, just that there’s no trophy or medal at the end of it. And while we don’t dwell too much on success that we’ve tasted, the team will look to draw inspiration from our Federation Cup triumph. We’ve left things late but we need to back ourselves,” said the Spaniard who famously guided the Blues to a historic AFC Cup final last season.

While a Bengaluru win will take them level with leaders Maziya (12 points), a better head head-to-head record against the Maldivian side will take the Blues through to the next round.

In what is a massive fillip for Bengaluru, skipper Sunil Chhetri has recovered from a muscle injury that saw him miss the semifinal and final of the Federation Cup. However Roca will be without Udanta Singh who limped out of the title clash in Cuttack against Bagan. “Sunil has been working hard with our medical team and will be available for the game. However, Udanta is still recovering from his injury,” said Roca.

While the sole injury is a blip for Bengaluru, the Federation Cup champions have no suspensions to deal with as Harmanjot Khabra and John Johnson make a return to the squad after having sat out of the AFC Cup game against Bagan.

Maziya are not an unknown foe, with the Blues having played the Maldivian champions three times, coming out winners in every one of those clashes. “We have a 100% win record against Maziya and while the numbers do give us confidence, the record isn’t something we will make too much of when we step on the pitch,” added Roca.

Stage set for Bengaluru - Mohun Bagan battle at Barabati

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC  Media

Three weeks on the road, a season-ending injury to their talismanic captain and a last gasp penalty save to send them to the summit clash later, Bengaluru FC will look to bring home a title they won in 2015 when they take on rivals Mohun Bagan in a Federation Cup final scripted for the gallery, at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, on Sunday.

The fixture marks the sixth meeting between the two rivals this season and could well be the most important one given the winners bag a spot in next season’s AFC Cup. “Sunday will be our second cup final in less than a year and it’s something we are proud to be part of. The team has shown immense character to make it to this stage and we are ready to give it one final push. I would say Bagan are the favourites with some big names on their roster and the availability of all four foreigners for this fixture. We have no problem being the underdogs,” said Roca while addressing the press on the eve of the game.

In what will be a vital miss for the Blues, midfielder Cameron Watson whose penalty sent Roca’s men to the final, won’t have any part to play in the big clash owing to a suspension. “Cameron has been an important player for us all season and his experience will be missed in the midfield. But like I’ve said before, we have enough quality on this squad and ability has never been a worry for me. Everyone on the squad knows what is at stake and I’m expecting them bring their best to the final.”

In Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru will be up against arguably one of the strongest strike forces in the country and the battle between a John Johnson-led defence and Darryl Duffy, Sony Norde and Balwant Singh will be key to how the final unfolds. “We back ourselves in defence as much as we do in attack and we’re all relishing the prospect of this clash. It’s been a tough three weeks on the road but it now all comes down to this one game and we will be giving it everything,” said Johnson who will, in all likelihood, pull on the captain’s armband.

Bengaluru’s road to the final wasn’t as smooth as Roca would have liked it to be but the Spaniard hopes his side finish things off on a high. The Blues beat Shillong Lajong 3-2 in the league-phase opener before suffering a shock 2-0 defeat to DSK Shivajians. Bengaluru then managed a 1-1 draw with Bagan which was enough to set up a semifinal clash against League champions Aizawl FC. Watson’s early penalty seemed enough to get the job done before Aizawl were awarded a penalty in the last minute of added time. But Amrinder Singh guessed correctly to keep the take out and hand Bengaluru a shot at the title. 

“We’ve made it a little more difficult for ourselves than we would have liked to but that’s how football can be sometimes. What’s important is we showed character and tomorrow will be another test of it,” said Roca.

Bagan, in comparison, had it relatively easier, beating DSK 4-0, Lajong 3-2 and then handing arch rivals East Bengal a 2-0 defeat in the semifinal.  

The game kicks off at 7 pm and will be beamed live on the Ten 2 network.

Bengaluru FC face Bagan in AFC ahead of Sunday’s Fed Cup final

Bengaluru FC Media 

In what will be a precursor of the Federation Cup final, a rested Bengaluru FC side will take on Mohun Bagan in a Group E game of the AFC Cup at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, in Kolkata, on Wednesday. While both Bengaluru and Maziya S&RC are level on points 9 points from 4 games, Albert Roca’s side continue to lead the group owing to a better head-to-head record over the team from the Maldives who host Abahani Dhaka Limited in the group’s earlier kick-off.

With the battle for who makes it out of the group set to go down to the last round where Bengaluru host Maziya on May 31, Roca chose to hand a fair number of players some much needed rest. “This will be our fifth game in 8 days and it’s a situation we have to manage. The heat in Cuttack has taken a lot out of the squad and it was only fair that some of the boys get time to recover before the final.Wednesday’s AFC Cup game is a great chance for the other boys on the squad who have been thorough professionals and have put their hand up whenever the team has needed them,” said Roca on the eve of the game.

While John Johnson and Harmanjot Khabra miss the fixture with suspensions, Cameron Watson hasn’t traveled after taking ill. Amrinder Singh and Juanan Gonzalez are among the other players who haven’t traveled. Skipper Sunil Chhetri has, meanwhile, made the trip back to Bengaluru to have his injury assessed by the club’s medical team.

Mohun Bagan are out of contention in the AFC Cup and given the Federation Cup final scheduled in four days from now, manager Sanjoy Sen too could hand his key players some much-needed rest.

“No matter what squad Mohun Bagan or we decide to go with, I have no illusions of this game being one where we can afford to take our foot off the pedal. The conditions will be tougher for us and I’m confident that the boys will make the most of the experience,” added Roca.

The Blues came back from a goal down to beat Bagan 2-1 in the home leg of this fixture and Roca has told his young side to draw inspiration from that night. “Bagan have always been tough competitors and both the clubs are always fighting for titles. The younger players on the team have a point to prove to me and I’m looking forward to a good show.”

The game kicks off at 7 pm.

Resilient Bengaluru defeat Aizawl, enter Federation Cup final

Bengaluru FC Media 

Amrinder Singh saved a penalty in the last minute of additional time (90+7) to dump Aizawl FC out of the Federation Cup and send Bengaluru FC to the final after Cameron Watson scored from the spot in the 8th minute in a dramatic semifinal at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, on Sunday.

With captain Sunil Chhetri ruled out of the tournament with a muscle injury, Roca handed CK Vineeth a start as striker ahead of Len Doungel while Eugeneson Lyngdoh returned to side after a suspension and was drafted out wide.

The Blues started on the offense with shots from Vineeth and Lyngdoh saved by Gomes before a tackle from Kingsley Eze on Alwyn George prompted referee to point to the spot in the 8th minute. Watson, stepping up in the absence of Chhetri, made no mistake as he slotted past Albino Gomes to score his first goal for the Blues and give Roca’s side an early lead.

Bengaluru pushed forward and almost found a second when Alwyn sent Vineeth through on goal but Kingsley recovered to make the tackle before the Blues’ number 31 could get a shot away.

The Blues’ best chance of the half came from Watson once again. The Australian curved a shot past the Aizawl defence only to see it cannon back into play off the post for Lyngdoh’s effort on the rebound to find its way into the hands of Gomes.

Roca brought in Cornell Glen for Vineeth a little beyond the hour mark and the No.9 was a handful for the Aizawl defence who found his strength tough to deal with. Infusing a little pace, the Blues then brought on Udanta Singh for Lyngdoh and the youngster always looked a threat on the counter.

Glen came close in the 89th minute when after being picked out by a pass from Harmanjot Khabra, he lost his man with a feint only to see his curled effort with the left roll wide.

The Blues were made to deal with drama at the end when Jhingan’s foul on Bayi Kamo prompted the referee to award Aizawl a penalty in the seventh minute of added time. Chullova stepped up to take the spot-kick but Amrinder guessed right to make the save in what was the very last action of the game.

Building on a compact showing against Bagan, the Blues’ three-man defence with the two wing-backs in support, were on top of their game. John Johnson, who wore the captain’s armband, was at his clinical best, keeping Kamo out of the game. 

The Blues will face Mohun Bagan in the final, following the Mariners' 2-0 semifinal win over East Bengal. The summit clash will be played at the Barabati Stadium, on 21 May.

Bengaluru play 1-1 draw with Mohun Bagan, make Hero Federation Cup semis

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media

Defending Hero Federation Cup Champions Mohun Bagan finished table toppers of Group B with seven points out of three matches, after playing out a 1-1 draw against Bengaluru FC in the ongoing 38th edition of the Hero Federation Cup in Cuttack, Odhisa today.

Both Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC qualified for the semi-final stage of the Tournament with the Blues finishing runners-up with four points out of three matches.

Alwyn George’s 12th-minute strike was cancelled by a 50th minute Sony Norde goal for Mohun Bagan as both Teams shared the points at the end of the match.

Bengaluru FC had to conjure a draw to progress to the semi-finals of the Hero Federation Cup and Alberto Roca’s team showed signs of taking the match by the scruff of the neck in the opening minutes itself. When the Blues took the lead in the 12th minute after Alwyn George cut in from the right flank and released a shot which beat Debjit Majumder on the near post and handed Bengaluru FC a solitary goal lead.

In the 30th minute, Katsumi Yusa’s header earned a reflex save from Amrinder Singh after the Japanese was found in the box by Jeje’s header, as Mohun Bagan pressed for the equaliser.

Despite Bagan dominating possession in the final third for the latter half of the first half, the Bengaluru FC defence kept out the trio of Jeje, Katsumi Yusa and Sony Norde, giving them no time at all to shoot. While Norde who usually dropped deep to collect the ball was out-muscled off possession by Bengaluru bodies in defence. The half-time scoreline read 1-0 in BFC’s favour.

In the 50th minute, Sony Norde found the back of the net after his shot from distance curled into Amrinder’s goal to level proceedings as Bagan kick-started the second half.

Bengaluru FC pressed to score again and Doungel’s shot in the 59th minute went inches over the bar minutes before Bengaluru FC were awarded a corner kick.

Playing cautiously after scoring, Mohun Bagan beefed up bodies in the midfield to counter the free-flowing attacks of Bengaluru FC. With a draw enough to get both Teams into the knock-out stage, both teams played the match cautiously, not over committing to attacks was a common sight. The full-time scoreline read 1-1 as both Teams progressed to the semi-final stage. 

Bengaluru take on Mohun Bagan in must-win fixture

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC take on Mohun Bagan on Friday at the Barabati Stadium knowing a win would give the Blues the best chance to make it to the semifinal of the Federation Cup from a group that’s riddled with possibilities for all teams involved, with a last round of games left to play.

With the DSK-Lajong game kicking off at 4 pm, the Blues will know exactly what they need to do against Bagan later in the evening. But Albert Roca has asked his side to turn a blind eye to all combinations of results and mathematics and instead focus on three points against the Kolkata side who lead the Group B standings having all but made the cut to the last four with two wins in as many games. “We find ourselves in a situation where our backs are against the wall and while our progress could be determined by the other result in the group, we need to train all our thoughts on getting the win against Bagan,” said Roca on the eve of the game.

Bengaluru’s 2-0 defeat to DSK means the Pune side joins the Blues on second position with three points while Lajong, with two losses, are bottom of the pile. The head-to-head record will determine who makes it out of the group should there be two teams with same points. In the event of three teams finishing with the same points, goal difference serve as the deciding factor.

In what is a bit of a set-back, Bengaluru will be without midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh who sits out of the fixture with two bookings in as many games. But Roca sounded confident of the quality his side possessed. “We have enough ability on this team to find us results when we need them the most. Every player in every position will have to step up if we are to stay alive in the competition. We know we are up against a very strong team in Bagan and nothing short of our best will do,” said Roca.

Having put a dominant show for most parts of both group stage games, Bengaluru will have to be wary of the lapses in focus that saw them concede rather needless goals. “We’ve seen what happens when we let our guard down for even a bit. We got away with it in the first game but were punished in the second. We are a side that loves to attack always and that can leave us a little vulnerable on the counter if we aren’t focused enough. Let’s hope we can fix this in a game where mistakes can end our tournament,” said Roca.

The match kicks off at 7 pm and will be telecast live on Ten 2. 

Shivajians beat Bengaluru, throw open Group B in Hero Federation Cup

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media

DSK Shivajians rode on Spanish import Juan Barraso's brace to defeat JSW Bengaluru FC 2-0 in the ongoing 38th edition of the Hero Federation Cup here at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha today (May 10, 2017), to throw open Group B.

A sly goal from the penalty spot in the 71st minute followed by a peach of a goal from a free-kick more than 30 yards out in the 76th minute from Juan Barraso led DSK Shivajians to a hard-fought win over their opponents.  

Meanwhile, DSK Shivajian’s win means that three teams out of four find themselves level on points in Group B. While Mohun Bagan still lead Group B with three points out one match and a goal difference of +4, both DSK Shivajians and JSW Bengaluru FC have gathered three points out of two matches played.

DSK Shivajian’s Korean import Kim Song Yong leading the line gave the Bengaluru FC defensive pairing a tough time. Flanked by Lallianzuala and Juan Barraso, Dave Roger’s men utilised the wings in the early minutes, searching for an early goal. In the 9th minute, Lallianzuala connected on a cross from the left flank, but he was flagged offside.

For Bengaluru, the first real chance came in the 19th minute when a corner kick was met by a thumping John Johnson header, only for the DSK to make a goal line clearance. Three minutes later, the Blues had another chance from a set piece after Juan Fernandez’s header flew inches past the DSK goal off a Cameron Watson free-kick.

Bengaluru FC despite dominating possession through the first half and enjoying healthy spells in the final third, could not make much of it. The half-time scoreline read 0-0.

The second half began in a different manner. This time it was JSW Bengaluru FC that attacked early on and DSK custodian Subrata Pal had to make two saves – first from a Eugene shot followed by palming away a corner kick.

Sunil Chhetri in front with Daniel Lalhimpuia while Nishu Kumar gave Bengaluru FC width on the flanks as the Blues adopted an attacking stance. On the other end, however, DSK Shivajians came close to scoring had it not been Ralte’s quick reflexes.

The Bengaluru custodian in the 50th minute palmed away a Lallianzuala cross which was aimed towards Kim’s direction. With no real pressure, Kim would have had a free header if not for Ralte’s quick thinking. Shortly after, Rohit Kumar tried to catch Ralte off his lines, but the former’s shot was misguided.

With neither team fostering any real goal scoring opportunity in the remainder of the time, the match culminated in the midfield where both cancelled each other out. In the 70th minute, DSK were awarded a penalty after Lallianzuala was brought down in the box. A cool finish by Juan Barraso from the spot gave Dave Roger’s men the lead.

In the 76th minute, Barraso scored a screamer from a freekick more than 30 yards out to double DSK’s lead. Dave Rogers and his men held on to the two-goal advantage as the full-time read 2-0. 

Bengaluru FC keen on steadier show ahead of DSK challenge

Bengaluru FC Media 

Albert Roca called his Bengaluru FC side to iron out the creases and keep things tight as the Blues ready to take on DSK Shivajians in a Group B clash of the Federation Cup, at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, on Wednesday.

Bengaluru got their campaign off to a winning start with a 3-2 defeat of Shillong Lajong on Monday but made things harder than they needed be after coasting to a 2-0 lead. And Roca believes the margin for error will keep getting lesser as the tournament progresses. “We let our guard down after getting a two-goal lead and we were almost made to pay for it. We’re happy we could come away with a win and take a lesson back with us on not letting things slip when we are in control. We’re going to have to be very cautious against DSK because one small lapse can affect how your tournament pans out,” said Roca.

DSK suffered a 4-0 defeat to Mohun Bagan in their Cup opener and while they would be keen on their first points in the tournament, the Dave Rogers-coached side will also look to set right their 7-0 defeat at the hands of the Blues only a fortnight ago in the League.

“We cannot ride on the fact that we beat DSK by a heavy margin. I said in the press conference after that game that while the result was good, it’s not one that we will be talking about the next day. The slate is clean on Wednesday and we will have to earn our points.”

The Blues suffered a minor blip when John Johnson had to be substituted at the start of the second half with a thigh injury and Roca said he is in constant touch with the medical team with updates before he decides if the English defender will take the pitch against DSK or not. Goalkeeper Amrinder Singh who sat out of the win over Lajong with fever will also be a late decision for selection.

Roca will have a lot of positives to take back from the win against Lajong. Midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh seems to be getting better with every passing game while Udanta Singh has forged a good understanding with Harmanjot Khabra down the right. 

The game kicks off at 4 pm and will be beamed live on the Ten 2 network.

Bengaluru survive late drama but do enough to see off Lajong

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC got their Federation Cup campaign off to a winning start but not without some drama as Albert Roca's men beat Shillong Lajong 3-2 at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, on Monday.

Goals from Udanta Singh (35') and Eugeneson Lyngdoh (46') seemed to put the Blues in control before they conceded two penalties, one of which was put away. But Sunil Chhetri forced an own goal from Aiborlang Khongjee (74’) to give Bengaluru some breathing space to get the job done.

The Blues came close in as early as the second minute when Sandesh Jhingan saw his thumping header from a Cameron Watson corner come off the crossbar and bounce inches outside the goal line before the Lajong defence dealt with danger. The chance set the tone for the half and it was all Bengaluru then on.

Harmanjot Khabra and Udanta Singh were fantastic to watch in tandem down the right, sending in crosses that unsettled the Lajong defence. Bengaluru should have shot to a lead in the 33rd minute when Chhetri put Udanta through on goal with a perfect pass. But in looking to chip an onrushing Vishal Kaith, the young winger skewed his shot wide.

However, he needed only two minutes to set things right. Picking a pass close to 25 yards from goal, Udanta’s rasping drive took a deflection off Nimdorjee Tamang before looping past Kaith to give Bengaluru a lead they thoroughly deserved, one which Roca’s men took to the dressing room at half-time.

Bengaluru didn’t wait long after the restart to get a second when Eugeneson Lyngdoh rose to nod home Khabra’s cross in the 46th minute. Bengaluru were dealt a blow moments later when John Johnson, who picked up a knock, had to be replaced by Salam Ranjan Singh. Johnson’s withdrawal was followed by the introduction of Lenny Rodrigues in place of Cameron Watson, who had picked up a yellow for a foul in midfield.

Lyngdoh came close to scoring his second of the night as his swipe from distance produced a fine save from Kaith on the hour mark. Lajong had a chance to reduce the deficit when a handball from Jhingan prompted the referee to point to the spot but Asier Pierrick Dipanda’s effort from 12 yards was miscued.

Lajong made amends just moments later when a pass from midfield sent Kinowaki through on goal. The Japanese midfielder made no mistake as his deft lob beat Ralte to make it 2-1. The Blues though, had their two-goal cushion restored in the 74th minute when a cross from Chhetri found an off-balance Aiborlang Khongjee whose clearance went straight into the Lajong goal.

Lajong had a second penalty awarded in the 85th minute when a moment of hesitation from Ranjan caused the Blues’ centre-back to bring down Samuel Lalmuanpuia. The Lajong striker took over spot-kick duties and sent Ralte the wrong way to make it 3-2.

The introduction of Cornell Glen in place of Daniel added steel to the Blues’ attack as they pressed on for a fourth and shut down Lajong’s forays into the Bengaluru area.

Earlier, Roca rolled out a 3-4-2-1 with Daniel in attack while new signing Glen was named on the bench. First choice goalkeeper Amrinder Singh missed the game owing to a bout of fever as Ralte replaced him in the Blues’ goal. 

Bengaluru next face DSK Shivajians at the same venue, on Wednesday, at 4 pm. 

Bengaluru begin Fedration Cup quest with Lajong test

Bengaluru FC Media 

Albert Roca asked his Bengaluru FC side to brush aside the hurdles of a packed schedule and humid weather conditions and train their focus on chasing Federation Cup glory as the Blues open their campaign with a clash against Shillong Lajong at the Barabati Stadium, on Monday.

Stacked alongside reigning champions Mohun Bagan, DSK Shivajians and Lajong in Group B, Bengaluru have been building an impressive momentum ahead of the competition that guarantees the winner a slot in the AFC Cup. “We ended the League season on a good note and except the blip in Dhaka, we’ve done well in the AFC Cup too where our fate is firmly in our hands. Surely, the Federation Cup will be a whole new ball game but we’ve been doing things correctly and if we can manage the situation of the schedule and the heat, we should be alright,” said Roca on the eve of the game.

The Blues have been buoyed by the arrival of striker Cornell Glen who joined the squad in Cuttack after a week of working on his fitness in Bengaluru. Incidentally, Glen has previously turned out for Lajong and Bagan and it needs to be seen the role Roca hands him in the tournament.

Bengaluru, who did the double over Lajong in the League this season, have faced the side from the hills just once in this competition previously and came away 1-0 winners on their way to lifting the title in 2016. “We’ve beaten Lajong twice this season but this competition a clean slate for everyone and the margin for error is very less. Two good weeks of football and you could be representing the country in Asia which is going to give belief to every team in this competition. It’s going to boil down to how clinically we take our chances,” added Roca.

Two sides from each group of the Federation Cup qualify for the semifinals while the Blues will have an extra game to play as they face Mohun Bagan in an AFC Cup Group clash on the 17^th.

The match between the Bengaluru and Lajong FC kicks off at 4 pm and will be telecast live on Ten 2.

Bengaluru FC sign striker Cornell Glen

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC on Monday announced the signing of striker Cornell Glen on loan until the end of the season from local side Ozone FC Bengaluru. The signing adds firepower to the Blues’ strike-force ahead of the club’s 2017 Federation Cup campaign with Serbian striker Marjan Jugovic set to miss out with injury.

Unavailable for Bengaluru’s AFC Cup games as per regulations set by the Asian Football Confederation, Glen has previously turned up for Shillong Lajong in the I-League, scoring 30 goals in 38 appearances for the Northeast outfit before loan moves to ISL side NorthEast United and Mohun Bagan. He most recently represented Ozone FC in the BDFA Super Division, though his 2nd Division I-League campaign was cut short by an injury suffered on international duty earlier this year.

“It’s an honour to be a part of such a big club. I see Bengaluru FC as arguably the biggest club in India. It’s a club that aspires to win championships and I am happy to be a part of that. Since I’ve been in India, I’ve always played to win games and that’s exactly what I intend to do here. I have a quality team around me with a very good coach and I’m looking forward to it,” said Glen, who will wear number 9 for the Blues.

The Trinidad and Tobago World Cupper replaces Serbian Marjan Jugovic on the Blues’ roster for the Federation Cup after the latter suffered a torn meniscus in training last month and continues to recover following a successful surgery. Blues’ boss Albert Roca was full of praise for 35-year-old Glen, who has represented his country on 71 occasions, scoring 24 goals.

“It’s unfortunate that we lost Marjan just as he was regaining his fitness and scoring goals, but in Cornell we have an able replacement and someone who has plenty of experience playing in India. We saw him against us in pre-season for Ozone FC and we know what he is capable of. His presence in the squad will be important as we look to put out good performances in the Federation Cup,” said Blues’ boss Albert Roca.

The Blues face Abahani Limited Dhaka in the AFC Cup on Wednesday, a fixture Glen will play no part in, before their trip to face Shillong Lajong in the opening match of the 2017 Federation Cup, at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, on May 8th.

Former Federation Cup winner Lourdhanathan no more

A Lourdhanathan, left-back for ITI, and member of the team that won the inaugural Federation Cup in 1977 passed away yesterday afternoon in his house Rammurthy Nagar, he was 71 years old. 

He was suffering from Seizures since last month and was admitted to Philomena hospital. He left wife, a son and daughter, and grandchildren. His body was body kept at the Family Holy Church, Ramamurthy Nagar for prayer. 

Lourdhanathan started his football career with Jawahar Union in 1965. Later he captained his club in the BDFA league and Puttaiah Memorial Trophy. 

In 1970, he represented the then Mysore state in the prestigious Southern Pentangular Tournament at Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

He was member of the first Federation Cup winner, ITI. Later he was shifted to ITI Jr. FC and played till 1983. He Represented BDFA XI in the Nizam Gold Cup during the 70s. 

As per Lourdhanathan’s last wish, his body was handed over to St. John Medical Hospital. KSFA and BDFA today condoled the death of the former footballer.

Bengaluru FC bow out of Hero Federation Cup

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media 

Relegated from Hero I-League, Aizawl FC, gave a reality check to the I-League Champion Bengaluru FC by defeating 3-2 at their fortress at Sree Kanteerava Stadium today, hereby ending Bengaluru’s Hero Federation Cup mission. Aizawl FC with an aggregate score of 5-3 moves to the Semi-final spot. 

A late kick-off ensured low turnout today, the crowd was nowhere close to the horde that turned up during the Aizawl FC’s Hero I-League away match against Bengaluru in late February. The overcast conditions ensured a pleasant weather to watch the match.  

Bengaluru showed confidence in fielding young mid-fielder Nishu Kumar again for today’s match. 

Nothing noticeable happened in the first quarter of the game other than exchanging few shots on both ends with one noticeable in the 15th minute - a good long ranger by Aizawl striker Joel Sunday, however Amrinder Singh was in the right position to collect the ball. Aizawl FC forced their first corner in the 25th minute of the game. 

Much to the surprise of the spectators, visitors took lead in the 26th minute of the game. An important away goal via Joel Sunday. The Nigerian, also the scorer of the 90th minute winning goal in their match at home took a pass from his striking partner Alfred Jayran, dribbled Nishu Kumar and blasts the ball to the goal. 

Bengaluru got an opportunity to equalize within a minute, but Kim Song’s shot failed to aim at the goal, the Korean was only few yards away from the keeper. 

The anguish of a missed opportunity barely lasted for a minute. CK Vineeth equalized for the host from a Keegan Perreira pass in middle of the box, a nice turn, and then he places the ball to the back of the net. 

It was the delightful combination of Sunday and Alfred, then Sunday’s scorcher gave the lead to the Mizoram team again, and probably taking Aizawl closer to the Semi-final spot. Jewel in the 38th minute. 

Luck seemed to stay away for the Blues even after changing ends. Central defender Curtis Osano quite innocuously brought down the Sunday at the top of the penalty box, referee Ramaswamy Srikrishna awarded a free kick from the dangerous position. An extremely neat chip from the captain David Lalrinmuana left Amrinder Singh stranded at the goal. 

That was that for Bengaluru as coming back with a 2-goal deficit looked impossible. They reduced the margin in the 74th minute from a penalty. Udanta Singh was brought down by an AFC defender and Chhetri making no mistake in placing the ball to the back of the net. 

Aizawl custodian, Soram Poirei Angamba, doing a tremendous job under the bar keep his opponents at bay. Also, the opponent of the Manupuri happens to be his former club, Poirei was in the Bengaluru’s roster for two seasons. 

Scoring a brace, Joel Sunday was adjudged the Hero of the Match.  

Confident Bengaluru face a tough Aizwal task

AIFF Media

Bengaluru FC Media 

In a literal do or die situation to stay afloat in the Hero Federation Cup, Bengaluru FC host Aizwal FC tomorrow at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The team from Mizoram stunned the newly-crowned Hero I-League Champions in their home match on last Saturday.

 

Aizwal FC’s existence thus far in the National scene might be for a short period of time, but Jahar Das’ boys are here to prove their mettle.  

Defeating teams from North-East at their home is proving thorn in flesh in the on-going Hero Federation Cup. Bengaluru FC and Kingfisher East Bengal, both high-ranked teams bite the dust against Aizwal FC and Shillong Lajong FC respectively. It is up to Ashley Westwood’s boys to make a comeback and get through to the next stage. 

With the away goal rule deployed in the Hero Federation Cup, it is advantage Bengaluru as they have managed to score one against Aizwal. So a 1-0 score is good enough for the Steelmen to qualify for the next round. 

Aizwal FC coach, Jahar Das, having years of experience working in Youth Development appeared realistic. 

Das said, “It is not ours, rather their advantage as they will be playing at home ground and a team like Bengaluru FC are unlikely to go out in the first round. Although they will be under pressure, they are a good team - I-League champion, but sometimes, results may go against your expectation.”

Das’ home game win two days back worked as per plan, he added “I told my boys, if we can manage to hold them for first 30 minutes, probably we can do something in the game, also, they were tad tired, which helped us.”

“Tomorrows match will be an equal fight” observes coach, “Both teams have pluses and minuses, but for us, we want to give the best performance.” 

Bengaluru gaffer seemed confident, after all his team has the reputation of coming back strongly at home. “We are at home and we got good records. Lads played very well for the first 30 minutes of the game, should have taken a 4-0 lead to be honest, but then fatigue kicked in, and we lost concentration”, said Ashley Westwood.

The journey to Aizwal has been long, will that play a major role tomorrow’s game? Gaffer’s quick response, “It is an 11 hours journey - end to end, which takes a toll on the players. But then the same is applicable for our opponents.” 

Westwood might look for few changes or re-load the same lineup, as he feels there wasn’t much wrong in the last game. 

“I am sure we will create more chances tomorrow and hopefully score a few,” signs-off the gaffer. 

Tomorrow’s game will start at 9 pm. 

Aizwal stun Champion Bengaluru FC

AIFF Media 

Bengaluru FC Media 

Aizawl FC defeated Hero I-League Champions Bengaluru FC 2-1 in the first match of their maiden Hero Federation Cup campaign at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizwal, Mizoram today (April 30, 2016)

Joel Sunday’s 90^th minute goal proved to be the difference between the two sides after Alfred Kemah had cancelled out Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s 15^th minute goal, in the 38^th minute as both Team went into the tunnel on level pegging at half-time.  

With Aizwal FC notching up a win, the onus lies on Bengaluru FC to perform in the second leg of the fixture which is slated to kick-off on May 03, 2016.

Speaking at the Official Post Match Press Conference, Bengaluru FC’s Head Coach Ashley Westwood asserted that his side can foster a comeback in the reverse fixture, "We had several chances, and could have led by 4 goals. There is a cent percent chance that we will have a comeback and get through this round."

Meanwhile, Aizawl FC’s Head Coach Jahar Das was all smiles after upsetting the ‘Champions of India’. "We deserved this win as we played a good game. We are looking forward to the second leg and will play to the best of our abilities”

In the opening minutes of the match, it was Bengaluru FC, who nearly took the lead with some fluent attacking Football. Sunil Chhetri’s threatening corner resulted in a coming together of bodies in the Aizwal FC penalty box, but the Aizwal defence stood strong and made a goal line clearance to deny Bengaluru FC an early lead.  

In the 10^th minute, Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s brilliant free-kick was met with John Johnson’s thumping header and earned an acrobatic save by Poirei. The resulting corner saw the Bengaluru FC duo team up again and Lyngdoh’s delivery made contact with Johnson’s right boot, rattling the Aizwal FC woodwork.

Aizawl had their first proper shot minutes later when Yuta shot from 30 yards away, but the ball went over the bar. 

In the 15th minute of the match, Eugeneson Lyngdoh's shot from distance ended up in the back of the Aizawl FC net, leaving the Aizawl FC custodian wrong-footed, as Bengaluru FC took a solitary goal lead. 

Minutes later, Lalchhawnkima found a chance to score an equalizer for his team through a set piece but the away keeper Amrinder blocked the ball with great ease. 

Joel Sunday, assisted by Yuta, too made an attacking shot but the shot went over and did not challenge Amrinder. Moments later, Brandon’s curling shot went shy of the goal after he dribbled his way into the box.

Joel Sunday showed off some exquisite skills with the ball when he made his way towards the away box tricking past three Bengaluru defenders, but he failed to make an excellent finish as his shot went wide.

The attacking moves made by Aizawl FC eventually bore fruit when Alfred's shot found its mark in the 38th minute changing the scoreline to 1-1. Alfred's left foot shot assisted by Lalchhawnkima made its way into the net at the bottom corner rendering Amrinder helpless. 

Aizawl FC continued to attack and missed more chances just minutes before the first half ended with a 1-1 scoreline. 

Aizawl FC continued their momentum in the second half and the Reds fostered a goal scoring opportunity in the 48^th minute when Brandon’s cross found Albert clear of the defensive mix inside the box. The latter failed to make the most out of it as another chance went abegging.

In the 57^th minute, Udanta Singh’s rocket-of-a-shot from distance, was met with a strong fist by Poirei as Bengaluru FC continued their search for another goal.

Nine minutes later, Aizwal FC were awarded with a golden opportunity to take the lead but Alfred failed to tap the ball in, after successfully beating Amrinder Singh in a one versus one situation.

Substitute Daniel Lalhlimpuia showed his prowess on the pitch when he drove the ball into the box and prepared himself for a shot but was tackled by Emma denying him his chance. 

Not to be deterred, Aizwal FC continued their search for the winning goal and in the 90^th minute, Joel Sunday lit up the fa ces of fans in the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium as he blasted his opportunity home to make the scoreline read 2-1 in Aizwal’s favour.

The home Team held onto their solitary goal lead despite the away Team initiating raids in the remaining time and at the end of ninety minutes, the scoreline read 2-1 in Aizwal FC’s favour. 

Aizawl take on Bengaluru in first match of Hero Federation Cup 2016

AIFF Media 

Newly crowned Hero I-League Champions Bengaluru FC will clash swords against Aizawl FC in the first match of the Hero Federation Cup 2016 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizawl, Mizoram on April 30, 2016. The kick-off for which is at 3PM IST. 

The top eight teams of Hero I-league will be contending in the Hero Federation Cup which will see a total of 13 games. All the matches, except the Final are to be played on a two legged (home and away) knockout basis. While the Final will be played on a neutral ground. Bengaluru FC are the current holders of the Federation Cup having beaten Dempo 2-1 in the 2015 Final which was played at Margao, Goa.  

In the Official Pre-Match Press Conference held today at Aizawl, both sides expressed their desires and intentions to win in the match tomorrow. Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood said, "We have been fairly consistent this season and we hope to carry it into the Hero Federation Cup. We could not train as much as we would like to today after our long journey yesterday but we will play to win tomorrow." 

Commenting on Aizawl FC, Westwood stated "Aizawl are a good team, it was sad to see to see them go out. They were a fresh team that showed excitement and did not deserve to be relegated."

Seminlen Doungel, the Manipuri striker, emphasized on the desire of his team to win and said, "I am very excited about our match with Aizawl tomorrow, we will try our best to win." He also admitted that  knock-out matches could be more difficult than league matches. 

Aizawl FC coach Jahar Das stated that his side could create an upset come tomorrow. "We were not the last team in the Hero I-League, and we were able to beat Mohun Bagan who were at the top, we can win tomorrow.We have an advantage over them as they are a little tired, it will be difficult for them to hold us tomorrow." 

"It was a difficult time for us when we heard that we have relegated. But now, we have to opportunity to play against the champions. They are the best team as of now and have been playing other tournaments like the AFC so that might work to our advantage", informed Aizwal FC's midfielder Albert Zohmingmawia.

In their two Hero I-League matches against each other, Aizawl FC suffered two defeats conceding one goal in each match without scoring against Bengaluru FC, however a new day beckons tomorrow and who knows, maybe Aizawl FC can create an upset by defeating 'Champions of India' Bengaluru FC.   

Hero Federation Cup kicks-off this Saturday with Aizawl vs Bengaluru match

AIFF Media 

The Hero Federation Cup will kick-off on April 30, 2016 with Aizawl FC taking on Hero Federation Cup Champions Bengaluru FC. 

The top eight teams as per the standings of the Hero I-League will be playing in the knock-out format on a Home and Away basis including the semifinals with the Final match being slated to be played at a neutral venue.

As per the regulations of the Tournament, the lower ranked Teams (as per the standings of the Hero I-League) are to play their Home match first.

Round One is scheduled to be played on April 30, May 1 and May 2; while Round 2 will be played on May 3, 4 and 5, 2016.

The first round of the semifinals is to be played on May 7 and May 8 with the return legs slated for May 14 and 15.

The Final will be played on May 21.

The schedule of the Tournament is as follows:

Round 1

• Match No 1: Aizawl FC vs Bengaluru FC (April 30)
• Match No 2: Salgaocar SC vs Mohun Bagan (May 2)
• Match No 3: Shillong Lajong FC vs Kingfisher East Bengal (May 1)
• Match No 4: Mumbai FC vs Sporting Clube de Goa (May 1) 

Round 2

• Match 5: Bengaluru FC vs Aizawl FC (May 3)
• Match 6: Mohun Bagan vs Salgaocar FC (May 5)
• Match 7: Kingfisher East Bengal vs Shillong Lajong FC (May 4)
• Match 8: Sporting Clube de Goa vs Mumbai FC (May 4)

SEMIFINAL - Round 1

• Match No 9: Winners of Match 1 & 5 vs Winners of Match 4 & 8
• Match No. 10: Winners of Match 2 & 6 vs Winners of Match 3 & 7

SEMIFINAL (Round 2)

• Match No 11: Winners of Match 4 & 8 vs Winners of Match 1 & 5.
• Match No 12: Winners of Match 3 & 7 vs Winners of Match 2 & 6.

GRAND FINALE: May 21, 2016.