With two of the three foreign teams yet to check in, the 118th IFA Shield was thrown into disarray even as the tournament got off to a quiet start in Barasat today.
Geylang International FC of Singapore and Bangladesh side Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club did not get visa clearance to leave the IFA red-faced as the organisers were forced to reschedule the matches involving the two teams.
Strange it may sound, but the IFA seemed clueless about the status of their respective arrivals.
"We're yet to get the details about the Bangladeshi side, while the Singapore side are expected to arrive tomorrow morning," an IFA official said, even as secretary Utpal Ganguli could not be contacted.
The Singapore outfit were scheduled to play against defending champions United SC today, while the Bangladeshi side were drawn against Mohun Bagan tomorrow as both the matches had been postponed.
Like today, there will be only one match tomorrow with Mohammedan Sporting taking on second division side United Sikkim FC in a group II match.
Sandwitched between the Federation Cup and the final phase of the I-League, the tournament has already lost its sheen without some top clubs.
