Author: Webdesk

After a month of club football action, Indian football enthusiasts will have the pleasure of seeing their national team, the Blue Tigers, in action once again as they participate in the 49th edition of the King’s Cup. They will face formidable Iraq, the 2007 Asian champions, in a knockout match, with the winner earning a place in the final. India began 2023 on a positive note, securing the Tri Nation Cup, and continued their winning streak with consecutive victories in the Intercontinental Cup and SAFF Championship. This tournament will present their toughest test yet as they prepare for the Asian…

Mohun Bagan Super Giant secured a 3-1 victory over Nepal’s Machhindra FC in the preliminary stage of the AFC Cup at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan, with Anwar Ali scoring twice and Jason Cummings contributing the other goal. This win earned them a spot in the AFC Cup Playoff against Dhaka Abahani. Their performance showed notable improvement from their disappointing loss in the Kolkata derby, but Mohun Bagan still missed numerous scoring opportunities and had to settle for a 3-1 scoreline. Early in the match, Bagan came close to scoring when Ashis Rai delivered an accurate cross from the right flank…

The temperature is soaring as Kolkata braces itself for the first derby of the season. Referred to as the Boro Match (Big Match) locally, it not only divides the two fanbases within the stadium but resonates throughout the entire country. The historic Kolkata Derby, born on August 8, 1921, stands as an iconic rivalry on par with renowned global clashes like El Clásico, the Merseyside derby and the clash of the two Milan giants at the San Siro. The derby experience entails packed galleries, spirited slogans and chants, and dynamic tifo displays. You will also get Ghotis (most of the…

Mohun Bagan Super Giants will face Punjab FC, the I-League Champions who have been promoted to the ISL, in the Durand Cup on Monday evening. Mohun Bagan go into the match after a dominant performance in their tournament opener against the Bangladesh Army. Juan Ferrando, their coach who was absent in the previous match, will be back in charge, along with several senior players who have been registered to bolster the squad. The addition of players like Dimi Petratos, Ashish Rai, Vishal Kaith, and Subhasish Bose will make this an even tougher challenge for Punjab FC. The MBSG reserve side,…

The 132nd edition of Durand Cup kick offs today. There are 24 teams — including two overseas ones — divided into six groups. Matches for Groups A, B and C will take place in Kolkata, while Guwahati will host Group D and E matches. Group F matches will be played in Kokrajhar. After being reinstated as the season-opener of the calendar, Durand Cup is on its way to regaining lost relevance. There is some excitement in store for local fans on the opening day, with Indian Super League (ISL) champions Mohun Bagan Super Giants taking on a Bangladesh Army XI…

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was once again the hero as he made an incredible penalty save from Khaled Hajiah, Kuwait’s captain, to secure a ninth SAFF Championship for India. After the 90 minutes and extra time had seen both team level at 1-1, the penalty shootout saw each side thump one kick over the crossbar. On to sudden death, and Gurpreet’s incredible save, diving high to his left to claw the ball away. The Kanteerava Stadium was jam-packed and witnessed an exciting first half with two well-executed goals. India’s defence appeared shaky in the first quarter, and Kuwait took advantage…

The final hurdle in India’s SAFF Championship title defence, against Kuwait, is expected to be the sternest challenge. India, the defending champions, are aiming to secure a ninth SAFF Championship, following close on the heels of their recent Intercontinental Cup triumph. However, it won’t be an easy task, especially without Igor Stimac – the coach who is suspended for this game – on the touchline. In their previous encounter during the group stage of the tournament, India acquitted themselves well, and were agonisingly close to victory until a late own goal from Anwar Ali. This time, they will be eager…

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu pulled off a stunning save to deny Hassan Maatouk before Khalil Bedar’s shot went over the bar as India edged out Lebanon 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out to reach the final of the SAFF Championship at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday evening. They will face Kuwait in the summit clash on Tuesday. The absence of Igor Stimac, the India coach who was serving a suspension after his second red card of the competition, on the touchline clearly affected India’s performance, as it had in the first half against Nepal. Additionally, India was missing…

Sunil Chhetri’s stunning strike went in vain as Anwar Ali’s late own goal ruined India’s chances of finishing on top of the group A at the SAFF Championship. India will now likely face Lebanon in the semi-final, while Kuwait’s reward for topping the group on the basis of goals scored should be a last-four meeting with Bangladesh. Igor Stimac, India’s coach, had clear plans to prevent Kuwait from dominating possession, and his players executed those tactics well from the start of the match. Chhetri had a good opportunity within the first 10 minutes, but failed to convert it. Kuwait…

Sunil Chhetri scored a clinical hat-trick before Udanta Singh got in on the act as India routed Pakistan 4-0 in their SAFF Championship opener at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. With these three goals, Chhetri moved into fourth spot in the all-time list of international goal-scorers – only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (123 from 200 matches), Iran’s Ali Daei (109 from 148) and Lionel Messi (103 in 175 games) have scored more. Whether it’s supporting Bengaluru FC or the Indian team, the fans at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium never fail to amaze with their presence. The scenes were no different…