Page 6 - Indian Football

Indian football teams at Asian Games: Here's how they have performed so far

Indian football teams will be participating in the Asian Games for the first time since Incheon 2014. Here's a look at their performance at the quadrennial event so far

Indian Super League Transfers: A look at big movers in off-season

The Indian Super League summer transfer is on and all top clubs are on the look-out to deck up their shelves with new additions to their squad

Durand Cup Schedule: Mohun Bagan, East Bengal to play season's first derby

Arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal are headed for the season's first Kolkata derby after finding themselves in the same group in the 132nd Durand Cup slated from August 3 to September 3. The two bitter rivals find themselves in Group A along with Roundglass Punjab FC, the first ever side to be promoted to the ISL, and the Bangladesh Army Team. The tournament fixtures, however, are yet to be announced. The Asia's oldest tournament will have 24 teams divided into six groups with the toppers and two best second-placed teams making the knock-outs. Kolkata will play host to A, B and C group teams in multiple venues, with the hallowed Salt Lake Stadium slated to host the tournament opener as well as the final. While most of the Group D and Group E games, barring two, have been slotted in Guwahati's Indira Gandhi Athletic stadium. Kokrajhar's SAI center ground, the newest host city venue, will host a total of nine games, including one of the four quarter-final games. Su

Chhetri wants to face Iran, Japan; backs Stimac's 4-week Asian Cup camp

Indian captain Sunil Chhetri on Sunday backed head coach Igor Stimac's demand for a four-week camp before the Asian Cup early next year, saying the team needs to have enough preparation time to face the best sides in the continent. The 38-year-old Chhetri, who will be playing his last Asian Cup in Doha (January 12 to February 10), also pitched for at least one international friendly match against a top-seven ranked country in Asia such as Iran, Japan or Saudi Arabia before the continental showpiece. "We are going to face Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria in the Asian Cup (group matches), that is why Stimac (as well as goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu) have spoken about long camps. We need it, and I really hope we get it," Chhetri said in a virtual media interaction. "When you go to the national camp, there are injuries to players and they come with different mental levels from their respective clubs. You need to take care of all these, and to do that, you need more time," he said, ...

SAFF Cup Final: India win their ninth title, beat Kuwait 5-4 on penalties

Indian football team lifted its nith South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship trophy after the Igor Stimac-managed side beat Kuwait 5-4 on penalties. The regulation time finished 1-1

AIFF Awards: Chhangte, Manisha named men's and women's Players of Year

India and Mumbai City FC winger Lallianzuala Chhangte Chhangte was on Tuesday named the AIFF Men's Footballer of the Year, on the back of his impressive performance in the Indian Super League (ISL) and for the national team. The 26-year-old Mizoram player featured in 12 matches during the international season for India, scoring two goals and providing one assist in the 2022-23 season. He beat national team-mates Nandhakumar Sekar and Naorem Mahesh Singh to the coveted award. Chhangte, who is currently doing national duty in the SAFF Championships here, played in 22 matches during Mumbai City FC's ISL Winners' Shield-winning campaign last season and scored 10 goals while providing six assists. He also netted seven goals in seven matches in the Durand Cup last season, while also scoring one goal in three games in the Super Cup. Manisha Kalyan was named as the AIFF Women Player of the Year by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) after its Annual General Meeting here. The 21-year-

SAFF Cup Final: India up against Kuwait for ninth sub-continental title

India will be playing their 13th SAFF Championship (Cup) final and hoping to get to the ninth title when the Blue Tigers take on Kuwait on July 04 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru

SAFF C'ship: India in final post thrilling penalty shoot-out vs Lebanon

In a very tense SAFF Championship semi-final, which involved six yellow cards and a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner, India went past Lebanon. They will meet Kuwait in final

SAFF Championship: Lebanon tops Group B, will face India in the semifinal

Lebanon set up a semifinal clash against hosts India with a 1-0 win over Maldives in a Group B match of the SAFF Championship here on Wednesday. Skipper Hassan Maatouk struck the all-important goal with his curling freekick in the 24th minute. Lebanon have topped the group with an all-win record in the four-team group. Lebanon will take on India in the battle for the summit clash on Saturday. The two teams met recently in the final of the Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneswar, where India emerged the winners. The Maldives, ranked 154 in the FIFA Men's rankings, were hoping to punch above its weight by winning against Lebanon, whom they have never beaten in previously. Having already sealed their last-four berth, Lebanon head coach Aleksandar Ilic rested a few of his regular players including Karim Darwich. Lebanon started the match on a positive note, keeping plenty of possession and trying to stretch the Maldives defence. The deadlock was finally broken when Lebanon was awarded

SAFF Championship: Sahal, Mahesh make mark for Team India in the tournament

Amid the loud cheers that have often been reserved for talismanic Sunil Chhetri, two young footballers were quietly making their mark during India's SAFF Championship campaign so far. It's not that Sahal Abdul Samad and Mahesh Singh are unfamiliar names to Indian football afficionados, but they validated their potential to carry forward a rich legacy in Indian football. The duo were particularly impressive against a gritty Nepal whom India beat 2-0 Saturday night at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium to book a semifinal berth. Nepal had erected a defensive hurdle in front of India for a good one hour and the home side needed a moment of inspiration to break free. It came in the 61st minute. Mahesh made a run through the left flank and made a pass to Sahal, who pushed the ball back to the former around a Nepalese defender, setting him free. With oodles of space to work with, Mahesh sent the ball to an unmarked Chhetri inside the box with a laser-guided cross and the Indian captain was nev

India had the chance to host Lionel Messi's Argentina but not enough funds

Argentina were keen to play a friendly match in India, but the AIFF had trouble arranging he required funds

Football: Five bids received for direct entry into I-League 2023-24 season

The All-India Football Federation (AIFF) has received five bids for direct entry into the I-League 2023-24 season with proposals for teams from places like Delhi, Gurugram, and Bengaluru.

Sunil Chhetri announces wife's pregnancy after scoring 86th goal for India

Sunil Chhetri pleasantly surprised fans when he announced his wife's pregnancy after scoring his 86th international goal. India enter Intercontinental Cup 2023 final with 1-0 win over Vanuatu

AIFF chief wants restructuring of I-League for survival of smaller clubs

All India Football Federation (AIFF) secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran "personally" feels that the I-League needs restructuring so that smaller clubs can survive by cutting down their players' travel and accommodation cost. Prabhakaran said he will propose a dialogue between the top brass and other stakeholders. He said if the money spent on logistics is reduced, clubs with less budget will survive and that will also help in the I-League having more teams across the country. "I-League is increasingly reaching to new geography and we need to capture new clubs, besides the old ones. The clubs should not put 80 per cent of their money to logistics. Currently, it's only 20 per cent which is going to football, the remaining is going for logistics. It can't be like this," Prabhakaran told PTI. "We have to see how we can reduce the cost of operation of clubs. The idea is not to reduce the budget, but that budget should not be used as cost for flying and for hotel. It could be used for t

AIFF to avoid holding competitions in hot months of April and May in future

The Super Cup and Indian Women's League (IWL) were held in April and May this year but the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Wednesday said it will try to avoid holding competitions in these two hot months in future. The Super Cup, competed among I-League and Indian Super League clubs, were held in Kerala from April 3 to 25 while the ongoing IWL in Ahmedabad began on April 26 and will end on Friday. "This month, after the end of women's league (IWL), the football season will end. It will be our endeavour how, considering the weather in our country, we can avoid holding football competitions in April and May," AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said here during the draw ceremony of next month's SAFF Cup to be held in Bengaluru. "We do not want our players to struggle against the tough weather." Another AIFF official told PTI that the 2022-23 season spilled over to May as the calendar was crowded due to the coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chaubey said by the end of the South A

AIFF takes strategic steps to reform grassroots football in India

As per the AFC definition, grassroots football is defined as "all football that is non-professional and non-elite"

AIFF's Shaji Prabhakaran elected as AFC's executive committee member

Dr Prabhakaran, on being elected an AFC Executive Committee member, expressed his gratitude, and shared his vision to take Asian football forward

India U-17 Football men's team gears up to face Real Madrid in Spain

The India U-17 men's team is set to face Real Madrid U-17s, at the Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid in Madrid on Wednesday in their fourth preparatory game in Spain

India vs Kyrgyzstan: India bags Hero Tri-Nation trophy defeating Kyrgyz

India defeated the Kyrgyz Republic in Hero Tri-Nation friendly trophy and retained the cup, and Sunil Chhetri scored his 85th international goal in this match

ISL 2022-23: Odisha, Goa fight for playoff spot but not against each other

ISL, unlike most football leagues, does not work on a league system, but rather follows an American-style playoff format. As a result, the top six teams at the end of league stage make it to playoffs