Football

Mohammedan Sporting, a venerable football club with a rich 133-year history, has etched its name in the annals of Indian football by clinching its maiden I-League title. This triumph secures the club's promotion to the prestigious Indian Super League (ISL).In a thrilling away fixture against Shillong Lajong FC, Mohammedan Sporting emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline, needing only a draw to seal the championship. With one game remaining, the club has already secured its ticket to the coveted league, subject to fulfilling the Indian Club Licensing System Premier 1 criteria.Dipendu Biswas, the former India striker and current technical director of Mohammedan Sporting, expressed confidence in the club's ability to meet all the licensing requirements set by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Football Sports Development Ltd. (FSDL), which operates the ISL."As far as I know, we will be able to fulfill all the criteria laid down by the AIFF and FSDL, including the Rs 100 crore bank guarantee clause," said Biswas, who has guided the club through numerous challenges.Biswas also confirmed that the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) will serve as Mohammedan Sporting's home ground in the ISL. "Yes, we will use Yuba Bharati Krirangan as our home ground," he stated.Despite concerns about potential pressure on the stadium if Mohammedan Sporting also uses it as its home ground, Biswas emphasized the club's substantial fan base. "The number of supporters Mohammedan have is on par with East Bengal or Mohun Bangan. So, there is no question of thinking about some other ground. We will make Yuba Bharati our home ground," he asserted.Mohammedan Sporting will play its final I-League match at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan on April 13, providing an opportunity for the AIFF and FSDL to witness the club's impressive fan following. "We expect more than 60,000 people to throng the stadium on Saturday," said Biswas.

The Kolkata derby in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday evening witnessed a dominant performance by Mohun Bagan Super Giant, who outplayed East Bengal 3-1 to secure a spot in the play-offs.Mohun Bagan's victory was orchestrated by a scintillating first-half display, with Jason Cummings, Liston Colaco, and Dimitri Petratos finding the back of the net. East Bengal's only goal came from Saul Crespo in the second half.The match started with a penalty awarded to Mohun Bagan in the 13th minute, but East Bengal goalkeeper Vishal Kaith made a crucial save to deny Cleiton Silva. However, Mohun Bagan's relentless pressure paid off as Cummings tapped in a rebound from Prabhsukhan Gill's parry in the 27th minute.Colaco doubled the lead ten minutes later with a simple finish after a defensive lapse by East Bengal. Petratos then extended the advantage just before half-time with a powerful penalty kick, taking his tally for the season to eight goals.East Bengal showed more urgency in the second half, but Kaith continued to be a formidable presence in goal, denying Silva on multiple occasions. The Mariners also missed a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit when Nandhakumar Sekar's pass was overhit, preventing Silva from getting a clear shot on goal.Despite East Bengal's efforts, Mohun Bagan maintained their composure and controlled the tempo of the game. Petratos's right-footed strike in the 45th minute sealed the victory for the Mariners, who now sit atop the ISL standings with 36 points.The match was also notable for the presence of India head coach Igor Stimac, who witnessed the impressive performances of Mohun Bagan's Sahal Abdul Samad and Petratos.

Jamshedpur FC's 1-1 draw against Mumbai City FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Friday could turn into a costly affair for the Red Miners. The club is facing the prospect of losing the point they earned due to a violation of the league's rules regarding the minimum number of Indian players on the pitch.According to Rule 4.2.10 of the ISL's league rules for the 2023-24 season, each club must field at least seven Indian players throughout the match. However, Jamshedpur FC fell short of this requirement after Daniel Chima Chukwu was sent off in the 82nd minute and was replaced by Swiss player Alen Stevanovic. This reduced the number of Indian players on the pitch to six.The rule states that failure to comply with this requirement will result in a 3-0 loss for the offending club. However, if the opposing team has won the match by a higher score, the result on the field will be upheld.In this case, Mumbai City FC did not win by a higher score, so Jamshedpur FC could face a 3-0 loss if the violation is confirmed. This would give Mumbai City three points and a 3-0 win, which would significantly boost their chances of winning the ISL shield.With five teams still in contention for the shield, the points and goals awarded to Mumbai City could give them a significant advantage. Currently, Mumbai City is in pole position with 36 points from 18 rounds, while Odisha FC is second with 35 points from 18 games.Jamshedpur FC's quest for a top-six play-off berth could also be affected by the potential loss of points. They are currently sixth with 21 points from 19 games, and a 3-0 loss would drop them down the standings.The ISL is expected to review the incident and make a decision on whether to award Mumbai City the three points. If the violation is confirmed, it will be a costly mistake for Jamshedpur FC and could have a major impact on the race for the ISL shield.

With the Indian Super League (ISL) approaching its mid-season break, concerns are mounting for national team coach Igor Stimac as several key players are struggling for playing time at their clubs.Among the affected players are Anirudh Thapa, Lalengmawia Ralte (Apuiah), Sahal Abdul Samad, Brandon Fernandes, Udanta Singh, and Pritam Kotal, who collectively boast over 223 international appearances. In the past two rounds, none of these players have completed a full match.Thapa, a crucial midfielder for Mohun Bagan Super Giant, has not played a full game in the last six rounds. Brandon Fernandes, the FC Goa captain, has failed to score in 892 minutes of play and was omitted from the squad in the team's last two matches. Udanta Singh has started only one of FC Goa's last six games.Ralte has been absent from Mumbai City FC's squad in the last two rounds, while Rahul KP has not lasted a full game in Kerala Blasters' last five matches. Sahal Abdul Samad, who picked up an injury, missed Mohun Bagan's recent match against Jamshedpur FC.Stimac's concerns are compounded by the injuries to Sandesh Jhingan and Ashique Kuruniyan. With the World Cup qualifiers against Afghanistan approaching, Stimac may have to consider players who are not currently getting regular minutes at their clubs.However, head coaches often prefer to stick with players who have lost their starting berths at clubs due to familiarity with the national team's training and fitness drills. Stimac has previously stated that he would only consider new players after they have maintained their form for a season.Despite these challenges, Stimac may consider players like Imran Khan of Jamshedpur FC, Isak Vanlalruatfela of Odisha FC, and Amey Ranawade of Odisha FC, who have impressed with their performances this season.