Author: Webdesk

At 3 pm on Saturday, approximately 700 fans were still waiting in the queue for tickets for the Kolkata derby. Despite the match kicking off at 8:30 pm on Sunday, due to a political gathering at noon, the excitement among both sets of fans remains high for the return leg of the fixture. As East Bengal coach Carles Cuadrat said: “The excitement is still high, and it’s good for Indian Football.” With the Kolkata giants portraying contrasting pictures in the league – Mohun Bagan being the favourites to clinch the elusive ISL shield, and East Bengal reeling at ninth and…

Igor Stimac, the head coach of the Indian national football team, has unveiled a 35-member preliminary squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers matches against Afghanistan. The first match is scheduled to be played in Saudi Arabia on March 22. The return leg will take place in Guwahati on March 26. India will almost certainly need to win both to make it to the third round of Asian qualification. After a promising start, defeating Kuwait amid a challenging atmosphere away from home, India faced a setback against Qatar with a 3-0 defeat in Bhubaneswar. Stimac and his team are…

The Indian Super League’s 17th week saw exciting comebacks, dominant victories, and individual brilliance. Here’s a recap of the key moments and takeaways. East Bengal clinched three points with a narrow one-goal victory over Chennaiyin FC in the opening match of the week, courtesy Nandhakumar Sekar’s decisive winner in the second half. In the clash between Hyderabad FC and Punjab FC, Mehdi Talal and Luka Majcen etched their names on the scoresheet as Punjab FC secured a 2-0 victory over Hyderabad FC, denying the Nizams their first victory of the season on home turf. Mumbai City FC and FC Goa…

East Bengal will go head-to-head against Chennaiyin FC on Monday, with both teams tied at 15 points from as many games, each eager to secure three points in the upcoming clash to stay in contention for the top six. Carles Cuadrat’s side has failed to capitalise on their Super Cup triumph, managing only one win against Hyderabad and a draw against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in their last five games. In the previous game against Jamshedpur, despite taking an early lead, they squandered several chances and ultimately lost 2-1. During the pre-match news conference ahead of the tie against Chennaiyin, when…

Salt Lake Stadium witnessed one of the most enthralling Kolkata Derbies in recent years tonight. After an action-packed 90 minutes, the battle between the two arch rivals ended in a 2-2 stalemate. Ajay Chhetri’s opener in the 3rd minute was canceled out by Sadiku. However, Cleiton Silva once again put East Bengal ahead, only to see Dimi Petratos score a late equalizer to share the spoils. Just before kickoff, Mohun Bagan fans unveiled a tifo of their new Head coach, Antonio Lopez Habas, with the caption “Hidden Trump.” However, it was Carles Cuadrat, coach of East Bengal, who found his…

If you take a look at Anwar Ali’s football career so far, you’ll experience one of the best rollercoaster rides ever. From stealing the limelight at the U-17 FIFA World Cup, announcing himself as one of Indian football’s most promising youngsters, to a sudden halt to his fledgling professional career as doctors advised him to call time after he was diagnosed with a heart disease. But the Punjab-born defender came back like a warrior. He approached the Delhi High Court and ultimately reclaimed his livelihood. The AIFF provided approval for him to resume his professional career following a positive assessment…

After 120 minutes of thrilling, end-to-end football, Cleiton Silva capitalised on Lalthuammawia Ralte’s late mistake to secure East Bengal a dramatic victory in the Kalinga Super Cup final, defeating star-studded Odisha FC 3-2 on their home turf. Carles Cuadrat etched his name into East Bengal folklore, achieving what a few top-class managers couldn’t in the past decade for the centennial club. From a heartbreaking defeat in the Durand Cup final to a rough phase in the ongoing ISL, Cuadrat has provided a glimmer of hope to the Red-and-Gold brigade, ultimately delivering a national trophy after 12 years. ! ⚔️❤️#KalingaSuperCup #JoyEastBengal…

As the dust settles on the group stage of the AFC Asian Cup 2023, Doha awaits an even more intense battle as the continental championship enters the knockout phase. Former champions Australia will take on Indonesia in the opening encounter of the Round of 16, while debutants Tajikistan will go head-to-head against the UAE in the second game on Sunday. Australia, eyeing their second Asian Cup title, are the clear favourites against Indonesia, who have qualified for the knockout stage of the competition for the first time. Australia remained unbeaten in the group stage, starting their campaign with a convincing…

Once again, there was no shortage of effort or courage from India, but the difference in quality proved decisive as Omar Khribin’s 22nd international goal in the 76th minute gave Syria the three points and most likely a place in the round of 16 as one of the best four third-placed teams. India are out, without a point or goal to their name. Khribin was Asian Footballer of the Year in 2017, when his goals played such a big part in Syria reaching the fourth and final round of Asian World Cup qualifying. India had to cope the loss of…

India’s football team aim to cap off their AFC Asian Cup group stage on a high note as they face Syria after back-to-back defeats in the first two games. Igor Stimac and his boys will be boosted by the fact that they will have a full squad to choose from against Syria. “The last game in the group is obviously crucial,” said Stimac at the pre-match press conference.“We need to win to stand a chance to qualify. We expect to see a good game and a good quality of football… and finally, we have a full squad.” Stimacwill breathe a…