Seven Sisters Love Football: July 2011

Baichung Bhutia confident of winning Independence Cup

Gangtok, July 29 : Ace football player Baichung Bhutia has expressed confidence of winning the Independence Cup.

"Major plan, first thing is to qualify for the I-League that's our biggest plan and than another major (plan) is to win the Federation Cup. So, these are the big two targets. I think we've got Independence Cup coming that will be a big tournament for us," he told mediapersons at a training session in Sikkim on July 23.

About seven players from Sikkim including Bhutia are expected to take part in the Federation Cup and the I-League tournaments.

Bhutia would be playing for the United Sikkim Football Club (USFC) for which a new player Nim Tshering Lepcha has been selected as the captain.

Three foreign players Bidemi Daniel, Quantum Jacob and Baba Tundey have been chosen in the USFC team along with three national players from Manipur - Sushil Kumar Singh, Gobind Singh and Thor Singh.

Meanwhile, Nim Tshering Lepcha, the newly appointed skipper of USFC expressed gratitude to the club members and Bhutia for choosing him and assured to give best shot in both the tourneys.

"He (Baichung Bhutia) has trusted me as a captain of this team and also gave me captain band with an opportunity to play for the I- League. It's a big achievement for me and I am very much happy for his trust on me. My team and I will give our best performance than last year and am highly thankful to him (Bhutia)," he said.

The chief coach of USFC, Stanley Rosario, also praised the performance of new players.

"Am very much happy with the team also, because it's better than what we had done in last match, three months back. So we took some talented boys and the team looks very strong," he added.

Colaco praises players for 2-2 draw against UAE

New Delhi: India coach Armando Colaco lauded his players for showing tremendous fighting spirit on a virtually unplayable Ambedkar Stadium turf despite the home team bowing out of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers with a 2-2 draw against UAE on Thursday.

A spirited India came back from a two goal deficit to hold a fancied UAE 2-2 in the third round of the qualifiers but it proved too little too late as the home team crashed out of the race for a place in the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.

By virtue of their 3-0 win over India in the first leg at home, UAE moved into the third round of the qualifiers on 5-2 aggregate.

"Today we played well no matter what the scoreline says. The ball wasn't moving because of heavy water on the ground. So we had to resort to plan B, which is playing the long ball. So, all the kudos to the boys for their spirited display," a satisfied Colaco said at the post-match press conference.
"We also played well in Al Ain and the credit should be given to the boys as it is difficult to play in these conditions," he said.
"As I have said earlier it's the beginning of a new era for Indian football," Colaco added.
Defender Gouramangi Singh found the equaliser for India in the 92nd minute from a goalmouth melee after the home side were trailing 1-2 in the second round match played in a virtual muddy and watery Ambedkar Stadium pitch.
Mohamed Al Shehhi and captain Ali Al Wehabi scored for UAE in the 39th and 71st minutes before Jeje Lalpekhlua pulled one back for India in the 74th minute.
For India, who are 44 places below UAE in FIFA rankings at 153rd, it could be considered a good result after their 0-3 loss in the first leg at Al Ain on July 23 though the playing conditions today were far from being conducive for top-class encounter.
With heavy rain lashing the Ambedkar Stadium pitch since half an hour before the start of the match and throughout the game, ground passing was impossible as the ball stopped at the water puddles all over the place.
And understably, both the Indian and UAE camp were not happy with playing surface.
"The playing condition wasn't good because of rain but if the match was stopped today then (according to FIFA rules) then we would have to wait for one more week, and the players actually wanted to go home," India coach Colaco said.
Colaco made two changes during the course of the match, bringing in Lalrindika Ralte for Steven Dias in the 66th minute and Jewel Raja for Clifford Miranda towards the end.
"Steven Dias had a cough problem while Miranda was struggling, so we had to replace them," he said.
He also said that had it not been for Samir Naik's small error at the back, India would not have conceded the first goal.
"Samir Naik made a mistake (in the first goal). He had open space to cut off the ball but he couldn't."
Colaco also asked for support from all and sundry in the wake of fierce criticism from his detractors for dropping some senior players, including former captain Bhaichung Butia.
"There might be a lot of flaks because I have dropped a few seniors but I didn't do that purposefully.
"You can criticise me but I would request all for constructive criticism not destructive criticism. Playing more and more friendlies is going to help us," he said.
Meanwhile, UAE coach Srecko Katanec seemed contend to have qualified for the next round but was far from being impressed with the playing surface.
He said if not for the unplayable ground conditions, UAE are a far better team than India.
"It's important that we have qualified. I don't know how many times our boys have played in these conditions. They scored two goals in these crazy conditions. This wasn't football but waterpolo. My boys showed fighting abilities and team spirit.
"We wanted to stop the game at the beginning but the referee wanted to finish it otherwise it becomes a problem. But the condition was the same for both teams," he said.
"We are any day a better team and have better players. India has two dangerous strikers (Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua), but honestly India is not in that level like Japan, Iran, South Korea," Katanec added.

India Vs UAE : India draws 2-2 Match Report

India win hearts, hold UAE
India 2 (Jeje Lalpeklua – 74th, Gourmangi Singh – 90th)
d/w
UAE 2 (Mohamed Al Shehhi (38th); Ali Al Wahabi (70th)

Gaurmangi Singh in Action

The afternoon humidity promised a heavy shower and the Heavens opened up four hours prior to the kick-off. And then again, half-an-hour prior, the Heavens opened up once again. Playing at their ‘fortress,’ – the Ambedkar Stadium, it was Advantage India, especially with the rain continuing for most part of the match.
Team India didn’t disappoint. Spurred on by the Full-House who braved the downpour, Team India came back from two goals down to hold UAE 2-2 in the second-leg of the World Cup Qualifier at the Ambedkar Stadium.
It was a morale victory for India.
But despite winning the battle, India lost the war as UAE made it to the next round winning 5-2 on aggregate. India’s Road to Rio ended at the ‘Fortress.’
Team India Coach Armando Colaco said: “This is the beginning of a new era in Indian football. When I backed the juniors, many had raised eyebrows. But the boys played a spirited game.”
He wasn’t wrong. The Lalrindika Ralte-Jeje Lalpeklua combine brought loud cheers to the crowd when Jeje headed in best pal Dika’s cross in the 74th minute for his eighth International Goal and India’s first goal of the match.
And then in 90th minute, Gourmangi Singh blasted in off a melee to draw level.
“Jeje is a strong boy. He just needs to make some minor adjustments to his game. And he is learning fast,” Colaco added. “11 vs 11 could have been different,” he lamented, referring to India’s 3-0 loss in the first-leg.
Earlier, much against the run of play UAE took the lead in the 38th minute. Ahmed Khalil, who had his free-kick tipped over by goalkeeper Karanjit Singh ran past Samir Naik down the right flank, ran into the box and centered for striker Mohamed Al Shehhi to head it in past Karanjit.
In the second half, Ali Al Wahabi volleyed it in to make it 2-0.
“We always had a Plan B in place. The boys adopted fast to the conditions. We needed to run all over. The boys did that and that entertained the crowd,” Colaco maintained.
UAE’s Slovenia’s coach Srecko Katanec paid tribute to the Full House at the Ambedkar. “In UAE, we hardly get any crowd in a match. But here, the crowd inspired Team India to play to their potential. It’s a positive sign no doubt.”
India: Karanjit Singh; Samir Naik, Gourmangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Raju Gaikwad, Rahim Nabi; Steven Dias (Lalrindika Ralte), Mehtab Hossain, Climax Lawrence (C), Clifford Miranda (Jewel Raja); Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpeklua.
UAE: Al Khaseif; Walid Abbas, Hamdan Al Kamali, Yousef Jaber; Amer Abdul Rahaman, Ali Al Wehabi, Amir Mubarak; Khalid Sebil, Mohamed Al Shehhi, Ahmed Khalil, Ismail Hammadi.

India face uphill task against UAE in World Cup qualifiers

NEW DELHI: Their new-found confidence having suffered a huge beating after their 0-3 loss in the away match, India face an uphill task to advance to the next stage of the 2014 World Cup football qualifiers as they take on United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

India had beaten Qatar in an international friendly 2-1 in Doha just before the World Cup qualifiers second round, raising hopes of a strong performance against the UAE in their away leg on July 23 at Al Ain. But, unfortunately, that was not to be.

To be fair to Armando Coalco's boys, they were a tad unlucky as their two players were given marching orders by the 24th minute and they conceded just one goal in 75 minutes with nine men on the field.

A candid Colaco admitted that it would now be tough even on home conditions though he is not giving up hopes.

"After the 0-3 loss it is no doubt a difficult situation for us. But you never know in football and we will go for a win tomorrow," Colaco said.

Number one goalkeeper Subrata Paul and central defender Debabrata Roy were shown red card by a Qatari referee in the away leg, forcing India to make changes in the starting lineup.

Karanjit Singh, who did well after Paul's dismissal in the 24th minute at Al Ain, will start under the bar behind Gouramangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Samir Naik and Syed Rahim Nabi who will man the left back area, replacing Debabrata Roy.

Captain Climax Lawrence and Mehtab Hossain will start at the center as in the first match, and Steven Dias at the right flank.

Clifford Miranda will be the new man at left flank while Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua will play upfront in Colaco's 4-4-2 formation.

Veteran goalkeeper Sandip Nandy and Harmanjot Khabra have been named as replacements for Paul and Debabrata but they will not start.

UAE, on the other hand, had come with almost the same team that played at Al Ain, except star striker Ismail Mattar.

The Gulf side are high on confidence after their home win and the coach said they are at advantage.

"We respect the Indian team and the Indian players. In football you take your opposition lightly at your peril. But surely we are at the advantage," said UAE coach Srecko Katanec.

They had beaten India twice in eight months - the first one in November last year with UAE winning 5-0 in an international friendly before the Asian Cup.

India need a win on Thursday by a 3-0 margin, which will take the match to extra time, for keeping their hopes of progressing to the third round alive.

It seems difficult as of now but at least a win would be good for the country, which is trying to show that it can compete with the top sides in Asia.

India though can draw inspiration from their 2002 World Cup qualifiers performance in Bangalore where they had beaten UAE 1-0.

Indian Sqaud: Karanjit Singh, Gouramangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Samir Naik, Syed Rahim Nabi, Climax Lawrence, Mehtab Hossain, Steven Dias, Clifford Miranda, Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sandip Nandy, Harmanjhot Khabra, Laxmikant Kattimani, Lalrindika Ralte, Sushil Kumar, Mahesh Gawli, Robert Lalthlamuana, Jewel Raja, Lal Kamal Bhowmick, Baljit Sahni, Valeriano Rebello, Rowlinson Rodrigues.

MEG crowned champs

Bangalore, July 25, DHNS:
Madras Engineer Group strolled past BEML FC 2-0 to clinch the BDFA Super Division League title in emphatic fashion at the Bangalore Football Stadium here on Monday.

Going into the game needing just a draw, after Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club could only pick up one point in their match against Karnataka State Police earlier in the day, the Armymen barely put a foot wrong and pretty much sealed the tie in the first 45 minutes. Ramu V scored the opening goal in the 10th minute before Vineeth made it 2-0 seven minutes from halftime. MEG, who have a match left to play, are in an impregnable position with 28 points from ten matches while ASC are six points behind in second position. Defending champion HASC have 17 points from nine games with each team playing a maximum of eleven matches. “This feels really great. The title was our target right from the start and I’m thrilled to have achieved it,” SP Shaji, MEG coach, said. “Now we can look forward to participating in next year’s I-League II Division and hope to carry on the form,” he added. Right from the opening whistle, MEG looked every bit like the team that has dominated and gone unbeaten in the the league this year, controlling possession and constantly threatening the BEML goal. The deserved and expected opener came in the tenth minute. A corner from Vineeth to the far post was headed back cleverly by Nguernilal Hmar to Ramu who headed it into the back of the net from five yards out. The goal was roundly celebrated by a partisan MEG crowd, knowing that the title was as good as theirs. If any doubts lingered, it was put to bed in the 37th when midfielder Vineeth, who had an outstanding game, made a searing run down the left, leaving two BEML defenders for dead and slotted the ball calmly past goalkeeper Edwin with the outside of his right foot. Lokeshwar Singh could have swelled the lead further but missed the target by inches, having beaten the goalkeeper just before half-time. The second half was academic with BEML hardly threatening and MEG happy to move the ball around and control the pace of the game as they comfortably held on for their first title triumph since 2007. In the earlier match, Pradeep Kumar’s equaliser from the penalty spot ended HASC’s title hopes. Malemngamba Meitei opened the scoring for the Aircraftmen in the 17th minute, but Pradeep’s strike in the 65th, after a handball by defender R Karthik, ensured a share of the spoils. Other result: ‘B’ Division: Universal: 2 (Murthy 42nd, Sunder 44th) bt Minerva: 1 (Jiten Haldar 33rd).

Uruguay win record 15th Copa America title

Montevideo Uruguay have won their first Copa America since 1995 after a comprehensive 3-0 win in the final over a toothless Paraguay at the Monumental in Buenos Aires.
La Celeste hit Gerardo Martino's side with a first half double salvo, courtesy of strikers Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan. The Atletico Madrid man completed his brace moments before the final whistle to ensure Uruguay's triumph for a record 15th time, one ahead now of their bitter rivals Argentina.
Oscar Tabarez' men made their intentions known right from the start as shortly after the opening whistle, Suarez nearly forced a goal with a shot from inside the six-yard box, but the ball hit the side-netting.

Controversy ensued moments later when Diego Lugano powered a header from inside the penalty area, and Nestor Ortigoza stopped the ball with his hand only for the referee to wave play on, evoking protests from the Uruguayan camp.
Justice was served in the 11th minute when Suarez made his way down the right flank and unleashed a stinging shot, which deflected off Dario Veron before trickling into the left corner and past the goal line.
The game became scrappy as emotions were getting the better of the players. In the space of 18 minutes, the referee showed no less than four yellow cards in an effort to prevent further offence from both teams.
Uruguay had a wonderful chance to double their lead near the half-hour mark when Suarez released Forlan with an excellent through-ball, but the Atletico striker was denied by Justo Villar in a one-on-one.
Minutes before half-time, Uruguay did make it 2-0. Egidio Arevalo stole the ball in midfield, and found the unmarked Forlan, who made no mistake this time as he powered a scintillating finish in the right corner to double la Celeste's lead.
Paraguay tried to claw a goal back after the restart, but were struggling to bypass Uruguay's resilient defence and midfield.
Gerardo Martino's men were leaving plenty of open spaces, and la Celeste nearly capitalise in the 55th minute when Suarez threaded a pass for Forlan near the penalty spot, but Veron made a vital interception and deflected the shot.
Just before the hour mark, Paraguay went close to scoring when Nelson Valdez's powerful drive from outside the box was tipped onto the bar by the flying Nestor Muslera.
The Hercules striker had another chance moments later when Cristian Riveros found him with a very good ball from the right wing, but the striker failed to convert from close range.
Substitute Edinson Cavani forced a wonder save from Villar with 11 minutes to go as Oscar Tabarez' men were growing increasingly dangerous on the counter. And they put the icing on the cake through a fast break as Forlan completed his brace with a superb finish in injury time, following a cushioned header from Suarez.
The victory gives Uruguay their 15th Copa America title to become the most successful team in the tournament.

9-men India go down to UAE in controversial pre-WC qualifier

India's Jeje Lalpekhlua challenges UAE's Amir Mubarak during their 2014 World Cup Asian zone qualifying football match in Al-Ain - AFP

Two red cards in four minutes dashed India's hopes as they went down 3-0 to United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the controversial first-leg of the Asian qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup here Saturday.
India lost two men by the 23rd minute after defender Debabrata Roy and goalkeeper Subrata Paul picked up red cards and for the rest of the match, the nine men were left defending. Hamdan Al Kamali (20th) and Mohamed Al Shehhi (29th) converted the penalty strikes while Abdulrahman Al Hamadi added a third in the 81st minute.
India's fate was sealed within 23 minutes during which two needless fouls by Roy and Paul, who picked up his second consecutive red card in a World Cup qualifier, saw the hosts lose the two within a gap of four minutes. Roy was guilty of pulling down Mohammed Al Shhehi in the 19th minute while Paul was red carded by Qatari referee Banjar Al Doasri for an infringement on Al Hammadi in the 23th minute.
Paul's marching orders infuriated the Indian players and the game was held up for almost six minutes and it resumed only after the intervention of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) officials.
India coach Armando Colaco had to make structural changes in the team by replacing a rusty Steven Dias, much to his displeasure, with Salgaocar goalkeeper Karanjit Singh, who did a great job in the remaining sixty minutes. Striker Sunil Chettri also fell back in the mid-field behind striker Jeje Lalpeklua.
UAE, however, couldn't take much advantage of India's miseries and never looked like a side that drubbed the visitors 5-0 in an international friendly last November.
Indians were unable to create any goal bound moves and went into the break 0-2.
In the second half India played a compact game as they were not left with much options. Colaco replaced an aggressive Mehtab Hussain, who picked up a yellow card, with crafty Jewel Raja Sheikh but fighting against an 11-man team was an uphill task for India.
The expected happened in the 81st minute after Al Hammadi scored the third from defence splitting a back heel by Abdul Rahman.
India now have to win the return-leg in Delhi, slated for July 28, by a margin of four goals or more to move to the second round.

Arrows are in a crisis

New Delhi: The Calcutta-based Indian Arrows plunged into crisis, on Thursday, when All India Football Federation (AIFF) decided to release 11 of their players to other I-League teams.

The AIFF developmental side, which have just roped in a Calcutta company as their sponsors to the tune of Rs. 6 crore, are now left with only 14 players. With the transfer season already on, no one is sure how the federation will fill up the rest of the 16 slots to play the I-League beginning in October.

According to sources, the AIFF decision came after the clubs, mainly East Bengal, Churchill Brothers and Pune FC, refused to release the footballers. These players were originally signed by clubs last season but were allowed to play for Indian Arrows in the I-League on special request from federation president Praful Patel.

While players like Gurpreet Sandhu, Raju Gaekwad, Milan Singh, Subodh Kumar, Deepak Devrani and Manandeep Singh would now be released for East Bengal, Pune FC and Churchill would get back Jeje Lalpekhlua and Lalrindika Ralte. Three more players – Jewel Raja, Shilton D’Silva and Sabeeth – could also desert the ship in the next few days. “Poor and chaotic planning by AIFF has broken the backbone of the team,” said an official. “They knew these players were crucial for Indian Arrows, yet they sat on it before succumbing to clubs’ pressure,” he added.

The AIFF is now planning to induct players from Indian under-19 team to strengthen the side.

Copa SF: Paraguay beat Venezuala on penalties

Mendoza, Argentina: Paraguay rode its luck through another penalty shootout to beat Venezuela on Wednesday and set up a Copa America final against Uruguay.
Paraguay, which has not won any of its five matches in the tournament, booked its place in the final following a goalless draw and a 5-3 victory on penalties.
The only miss in the shootout came when Justo Villar stopped Franklin Lucena's shot. Dario Veron held his nerved to net the final spot kick and set up Sunday's final against Uruguay, which beat Peru 2-0 in the other semifinal on Tuesday.

Paraguay's players celebrate after beating Venezuela in the penalty shootout during the Copa America semifinal.

AP Photo

Venezuela, known more for its baseball, twice hit the post in extra time but came up just short of reaching its first ever final in the South American championship.
Paraguay advanced to its first Copa America final since 1979 despite its mediocre record. It eliminated Brazil in another penalty shootout in the quarterfinals.
"Today we played bad, we played good," said Paraguay's Nestor Ortigoza. "The important thing is we won."
After the shootout, a brawl between the teams started as Paraguay celebrated, prompting police to intervene. That came after a game in which Paraguay had its coach and assistant coach expelled from the sideline for arguing decisions.
Nestor Ortigoza, Lucas Barrios, Cristian Riveros and Osvaldo Martinez also netted for Paraguay in the shootout.
Giancarlo Maldonado, Jose Rey and Nicolas Fedor scored for Venezuela, but Lucena — taking his team's third kick — saw his low shot to the bottom left corner comfortably held by Villar.
"We came convinced we could advance," Venezuela coach Cesar Farias said. "We did everything humanly possible. Our team never lost its focus. ... We're not content because we worked to go farther."
After a lackluster 90 minutes, Venezuela twice hit the woodwork in extra time and had some good scoring opportunities.
Maldonado fired a cross shot that was deflected by Fedor onto the post in the 93rd minute. A couple of minutes later, Juan Arango's long-range free kick struck Villar's far post and the Paraguay defense just barely cleared the rebound. Fedor came close again in the 96th, but his shot from close range was saved by Villar.
Venezuela was able to pressure even more after Jonathan Santana was sent off in the 102nd minute for receiving a second yellow card.
Villar had to make another stop on a shot by Salomon Rondon from near the penalty spot, and Gabriel Chichero shot wide from the top of the area in the 114th.
Venezuela had made it through to the Copa America semifinals for the first time in its history by beating Chile 2-1 in the quarters.
With the 45,000-capacity Malvinas Argentinas stadium less than half-full on a cold night, those fans on hand saw a game of few scoring opportunities before Venezuela's extra time flourish.
The most significant chance in regulation time came in the 42nd, when Venezuela's Alejandro Moreno headed onto the crossbar. On the rebound, Rondon's close-range shot required Villar to make a difficult save.
Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino was ejected early in extra time for complaining and got into a verbal altercation with his Venezuelan counterpart, Cesar Farias, who signaled with his hands for the Paraguay coach to leave.
Paraguay was again without striker Roque Santa Cruz, who had already missed the quarterfinal against Brazil because of a muscle injury in his right leg. The powerful striker came on as a substitute in the 73rd, but only lasted seven minutes before having to go off.
Santa Cruz earlier in the tournament became Paraguay's all-time leading scorer with 25 goals, along with Jose Cardozo.
Wednesday's stalemate was a contrast to the group-stage clash between the teams, which was a thrilling 3-3 draw after Venezuela had trailed 3-1 in the 89th minute.

Bhutia in probables list for Indo-Pak football series

Veteran striker Bhaichung Bhutia is set to make a return to the Indian football squad having been named among the 32 probables for the three-match series against arch-rivals Pakistan in England starting August 25.
The tour, which has been dubbed as 'Clash of the Titans -- India-Pakistan UK tour,' ends on September 11 with matches to be held in Manchester, Coventry and London.
Sources in the All India Football Federation said that the former skipper will play in England against Pakistan provided he is fully fit.
Players from India's probables list

The event had previously been postponed after the Indian home ministry refused to issue the NOC for the series.
Bhutia was earlier dropped from the list of 42 probables named for India's World Cup football qualifier against UAE on July 23 and July 28.
This is the first-time ever that India will be playing a three-match series against Pakistan in a neutral venue.
The last time the two nations were involved in a three-match series was in 2005 in Pakistan, which India won on goal-difference after the series was deadlocked 1-1.
The tour is being organised by TouchSky Sports (TSS), a FIFA and UEFA Licensed Match and Player Agency.
The first match will be played on August 25 in Manchester, followed by the second game in Coventry on September 3 before London hosts the final match on September 9.
The Probables:
Goalkeepers: Subrata Pal, Laxmikant Kattimani, Jagroop Singh, Ravi Kumar.
Defenders: Debabrata Roy, Raju Eknath Gaikwad, Deepak Devrani, Nirmal Chhetri, Arnab Mondal, R.Vishal Kumar, Abhishek Das, Lalrozama Fanai, Sabas Saleel, Gurjinder Kumar, Shouvik Ghosh.
Midfielders: Renedy Singh, Jewel Raja Sheikh, Shilton D'Silva, Gilbert Oliveira, Ongnam Milan Singh, Jibon Singh, Subodh Kumar, Lalrindika Ralte, Snehasish Chakraborthy, Anthony Barbosa, Zakir Mundampara.
Forwards: Bhaichung Bhutia, Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sabeeth CS, Bijendra Rai, Bineesh Balan.

WIFA coaches programme is excellent initiative

Mumbai: The ambitious project started by the Western India Football Association to produce 5,000 All India Football Federation-certified coaches in Maharashtra is an excellent initiative that would be copied by other states, said AIFF's director of coaching Gabriel Joseph on Tuesday.

"It's an excellent initiative to bring football up in the state of Maharashtra and at the India level. I'm sure this project will be copied by other states," said Joseph, who is conducting a 10-day instructors' course for 20 Asian Football Confederation-certified coaches.

Among them are top former footballers Santosh Kashyap, the only AFC "A" level license holder in the lot, Godfrey Pereira, Khalid Jamil, Yusuf Ansari and Aqueel Ansari.
Four outstation coaches - William Koso (Nagaland), P M Saji, G J Charles (both Kerala) and Goa's woman coach Maymol Rocky - are also undergoing the ten-day programme that is to end tomorrow after which the AIFF certificates would be awarded to them.

"These qualified instructors would go and train grass roots level coaches - at the district level as well as those engaged by schools and colleges - for producing lower level coaches," explained Joseph about the pyramid structure of producing the large number of coaches.
WIFA CEO Henry Menezes, whose brainchild it was, said the football body saw a lot of merit in it.
"The idea is to make coaching uniform all over Maharashtra and also India. These instructors would be guided strictly by the FIFA-AFC coaching manual and they would be monitored regularly," Menezes said.

Lajong opts for Assam, Manipur

Shillong, July 19 : Shillong Lajong FC, the only outfit from the Northeast in the I-League campaign, has opted for two venues in Assam and another in Manipur as their home venues if the laying of the artificial turf at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here is not completed by October when the league will commence.

Confirming the development, the team’s coach, Pradhyum Reddy, told The Telegraph this evening that the club has proposed Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, S.M. Dev Stadium in Silchar and Khuman Lampak main stadium in Imphal as alternative home venues.

“We have written to the Assam Football Association and the All Manipur Football Association in this regard a few days back. It will be, however, only if the artificial turf laying exercise is not completed by October when our home matches are scheduled to commence,” Reddy added.

The AFA and the AMFA are yet to receive the letters.

The Assam stadia have been opted for because both are situated close to Shillong and have floodlight facility, apart from good grounds.

On the other hand, though the Imphal venue does not have floodlights, the turnout during football matches is impressive, the coach explained.

Although the Meghalaya government has sanctioned Rs 5.13 crore for the artificial turf work and the laying process is supposed to commence by the end of this month, the entire project would take three months to complete.

The sanction came only after Meghalaya Cricket Association president Conrad Sangma chipped in with a recent contribution of Rs 25,000 from his salary as a legislator and pressured the government to either fund the improvement of the ground or raise funds through public contributions.

Though the funds have been sanctioned, a turf laying company is yet to be engaged, officials said.

Shillong Lajong FC was under pressure from the I-League department of the All India Football Federation to either improve the home venue ground or forego the I-League campaign this time.

The club had earlier played in the elite tournament in the 2009-10 season when almost all the opponent teams had complained about the poor ground condition.

The club had earlier requested the I-League department to schedule their home matches later in the season with a view to giving enough time to complete the artificial turf project.

The team started its preparatory sessions today and will participate in various tournaments across the region as a dress rehearsal for the professional league.

India stun Qatar 2-1 in international football friendly

(File photo) Sunil Chhetri put India ahead in the 16th minute - AP

India stunned Qatar 2-1 in an international football friendly in one of the most memorable victories by the country over a top Asian side here on Sunday.
Sunil Chhetri put India ahead in the 16th minute when he converted a penalty kick before Sushil Kumar Singh struck in the 73rd minute at the Al Sadd Stadium.
Qatar pulled one back in the 74th minute through Ibrahim Khalfan.
India had not beaten a top Asian side for a long time and it would boost new coach Armando Colaco's side ahead of their double-leg World Cup qualifiers against United Arab Emirates at Al Ain near Dubai on July 23 and in New Delhi on July 28.
Qatar are ranked 94th in the world and ninth in Asia while India are now at 147th at FIFA rankings.

Women's football: Japan beat USA on penalties to win World Cup

Japan players celebrate winning the FIFA Women's Football World Cup final match Japan vs USA - AFP
Japan twice came from behind to win the women's World Cup for the first time on Sunday, beating the United States 3-1 on a penalty shoot-out after the final had finished 2-2 in extra-time.
Japan captain Homare Sawa, who won the tournament's golden boot, kept her side in the game with a header in the 117th minute after US striker Abby Wambach's had put her side ahead early in extra-time after the two sides were locked at 1-1 over 90 minutes.
The Japanese had defender Azusa Iwashimizu sent off in the 121st minute for a foul on US striker Alex Morgan.
In the dramatic shoot-out, Japan goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori saved two penalties before defender Saki Kumagai hit the winning spot-kick.
The US had taken the lead in the second-half of normal time thanks to striker Alex Morgan's sublime strike, but Japan's Aya Miyama poached the equaliser after a mix-up in the American defence in the 81st minute.
This was Japan's first win over the Americans at the 26th time of trying and was heartbreak for the Stars and Stripes as they missed out on a third World Cup title despite dominating Japan for large periods of the game.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel celebrated her 57th birthday by joining the 48,817 sell-out crowd in Frankfurt, while Dr Jill Biden, wife of US vice-president Joe Biden, and Chelsea Clinton, daughter of US Secretary of State Hillary, were also in the stands.
Japan made it to final after their shock 1-0 defeat of Germany in the quarter-finals before they dominated Sweden 3-1 in the last four.
The USA followed up a dramatic 5-3 win on penalties over Brazil in the last eight before they beat France 3-1 in the semi-finals.
The USA controlled the opening 20 minutes of the final as left-wing Megan Rapinhoe and forward Lauren Cheney, who replaced striker Amy Rodriguez in the starting team, caused havoc, while Wambach hit the crossbar on 28 minutes.
Japan's first real chance came with 30 minutes gone but midfielder Kozue Ando fired her shot straight at US goalkeeper Hope Solo.
The first-half finished goalless, but Cheney, with a heavily strapped ankle, was replaced at half-time by goal-scorer Morgan.
The USA kept up the pressure and Kaihori palmed Wambach's header over the bar on 64 minutes.
The Americans' pressure finally told when Rapinhoe's long-range pass - which was half the length of the pitch - found Morgan who blasted her shot across Kaihori on 69 minutes.
Japan were gifted the equaliser on 81 minutes when US defenders Rachel Buehler and Krieger scrambled to clear the ball in their own goalmouth, but left-wing Miyama reacted fastest and stabbed the ball home.
In extra-time, Wambach headed the US back into the lead in the 104th minute.
But Sawa equalised from a corner in the 117th minute with her fifth goal of the tournament to take the game to penalties.

Brazil exit Copa America in shootout

Paraguay's players celebrate after winning the penalty shootout against Brazil during a Copa America quarterfinal soccer match in La Plata, Argentina - AP
Paraguay dumped holders Brazil out of the Copa America on Sunday, winning a quarter-final penalty shootout 2-0 after a poor match ended goalless after extra-time.
Brazil's penalty-taking proved even more execrable than much of their play, which saw them have plenty of possession but no panache in attack.
Marcelo Estigarribia and Christian Riveros converted for the Paraguayans while Elano, Thiago Silva, Andre Santos and Fred missed for the eight-times continental champions.
"When you lose you know you made some mistakes," said Brazil coach Mano Menezes. "But this happens in football and we have to live with it."
Paraguay, who last won the event in 1979, now go on to face either Chile or Venezuela, who were facing off later Sunday in San Juan.
Brazil forward Robinho tried to put a positive gloss on the defeat to a side with whom they were fortunate to draw in the group stage just eight days earlier.
"I think we played a good Copa overall. But now we must keep our heads up and go on to lift the World Cup in our homeland," said the Milan striker.
Brazil's exit followed that of hosts Argentina, beaten by Uruguay, likewise in a shootout, on Saturday.
The football never reached the level of the 'beautiful game'.
Instead, the unchannelled aggression saw Lucas Leiva and Antolin Alcaraz sent off for a tussle which sparked an ugly free-for-all in the first period of extra-time.
After Brazil had made most of the running over 90 minutes with some good approach play, which was spoiled by a lack of ruthless finishing, the extra half-hour saw chances at both ends although tiredness was clearly taking its toll.
Brazil made two changes from the side which thanked a late goal from Fred for the 2-2 group draw between the sides, Robinho in for Jadson, and defender Maicon back for Dani Alves.
Robinho joined Ganso and strike pair Pato and Neymar in an attacking formation known as Menezes' "magic quartet".
Neymar and Pato had both scored a brace in the subsequent win over Ecuador had clearly revived Manezes' faith in his strategy.
But his faith in them proved somewhat misguided on Sunday's evidence against tough opponents who gave no quarter.
While Bazil's switches were essentially tactical Paraguay boss Gerardo Martino had no choice with his change as experienced striker Roque Santa Cruz, who scored in the first game, missed out through injury.
Nelson Haedo Valdez partnered Lucas Barrios, but Santa Cruz's guile and class were sorely missed.
Maicon had a low effort blocked and Neymar fired wide before a surging Robinho run from deep found Neymar on the right but his cross floated harmessly into space as Brazil bossed most of the play but a breakthrough would not come.
Fred came on for Neymar with 11 minutes to go and then Pato had a shot charged down by onrushing keeper Justo Villar before heading the rebound into the side netting.
With five minutes remaining Brazil should have stolen it but Fred, looking to repeat his party piece of a week earlier, saw his header cleared off the line.
Then came spotkicks which were a disaster for Brazil as Elano fired over, Thiago Silva saw his saved by Villar, Andre Santos then blasted over and Fred wide.
Marcelo Estigarribia and Christian Riveros did convert and Brazil were out.

I’ve nothing against Bhutia: Interim coach Armando Colaco

The coming weeks would be nothing less than a test of fire for the newly-appointed India coach Armando Colaco. The reins are back with a home coach as the popular British coach Bob Houghton was given the boot by the All India Football Federations (AIFF) after India’s mission Asian Cup ended in shambles.

With just a little over a week remaining for India’s 2014 World Cup qualifiers against UAE, it would be interesting to see how the boys blend in to the guile and game plan of this experienced long-serving Dempo coach — Colaco. The Indian side that has landed in Doha, after settling for a 1-1 draw with a lowly-placed Maldives few days back, will play two friendlies — one with hosts Qatar on Sunday.

As per Colaco, both these friendlies are befitting before his side takes on UAE. “Qatar is a higher ranked team and plays with a style similar to that of the UAE. India have strong, friendly relationship with Qatar and it was great of them to provide us with this opportunity. What we are looking forward to is to get our tactics right,” said Colaco, who has been appointed coach for the next four months.

Even for the best of coaches in the world, a four-month period would do no good to get the desired result but Colaco cleared the air saying that it was not AIFF but his own decision to opt for a short term.

“I have prior commitments with my club Dempo as well and I will have sort that out if I have to continue. Yes, it has been just three weeks but I will try my level best to put my best foot forward,” revealed Colaco, who cracked his whip on senior pros — Baichung Bhutia and Rennedy Singh — soon after his appointment.

“I have nothing against Bhutia or Singh nor have I said they wouldn’t be considered at all. It was good on the part of Bhutia to come up with a statement that he will regain fitness. All I wanted was to have a set of players who are fit and deserving to be there.”

Colaco strongly believes in bringing in the youth early and has inducted six players. He has picked players such as Chirag United’s Lalkamal Bhowmick along with Raju Gaekwad and Jewel Raja of Indian Arrows, who have put up some strong performances in the I-League. “The only way these young boys can improve is by giving them exposure and the earlier we do it, the better. Yes, they lack in experience but this is the only way they can grow. I will try to give them opportunities in these friendlies but we are in the final stages of getting the right combination and I have to keep all that in mind as well,” justified Colaco.

UAE, currently 94th in the world rankings, played India (147th) last in a friendly in November 2010 and thrashed the latter 5-0. India had success against UAE, beating them 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in 2001.

“We have been watching the videos of UAE matches and after these friendlies, I’m sure we will be well prepared for that clash. Against Maldives, Climax, Jeje, Chhetri got chances but they didn’t score. They created so many chances and that was good. We held well and passed well. If they can do all these in a short span of time, I’m sure they can do wonders in the long run.”

Colaco is also looking forward to the historic and high profile three-match series against Pakistan in the UK. “It would be an interesting series and given the Indian and Pakistani population there, it would be an absorbing one. However, as of now, the focus is on the match against UAE,” concluded Colaco.

Uruguay stun Argentina to reach Copa semis

Cordoba: Argentina are out of the 2011 Copa America in their own backyard when they lost 5-4 on penalties to Uruguay after both teams were deadlocked at 1-1 after 120 minutes.
Diego Perez's early goal was cancelled out by Gonzalo Higuain in an action-packed first-half, but despite chances from both ends neither side could force break the deadlock, ensuring a nerve-wracking shoot-out to end proceedings.
Argentina once more tried to take the game to the opposition from the first whistle, and intelligent play between Higuain and Kun Aguero allowed the Real Madrid man to release a shot, although it was well-covered by Fernando Muslera. After just five minutes, however, Uruguay found the formula to silence the Santa Fe crowd.

A Diego Forlan free kick was not dealt with by the Albiceleste defence, and the ball was turned in just inside the far post by Diego Perez to send the away section wild in the 'Elephant's Graveyard'. The goal rocked the home side, who looked scrappy in the opening moments before Higuain was on hand to restore parity.
'Pipita' had Lionel Messi to thank for his strike, after the Barcelona star did wonderfully to open up the game. Messi shrugged off his markers before releasing a perfectly-weighted cross into the box, and Higuain made no mistake in heading past Muslera and into the goal. Argentina looked comfortable after equalising, spraying the ball around with authority against their arch-rivals. Higuain thought he had scored again from another Messi centre, but was adjudged narrowly, yet correctly, offside by the officials.
Uruguay on the other hand relied on the counter-attack, using Luis Suarez as the sole target for long balls. From set-pieces, however, they looked forever dangerous against an unconvincing Albiceleste back-line. Martin Caceres smashed home the rebound from a free-kick only to be denied by the linesman's flag, while Diego Lugano came within an inch of netting the second when his header bounced back off the bar.
Things were made no easier for the visitors late in the half when goalscorer Perez clattered Fernando Gago and received a second booking, consigning the Celeste to play the remaining 55 minutes with 10 men.
After a madcap first 45 minutes, both teams took steps to slow the pace down after the break. Uruguay in particular retreated down the pitch, a logical step given the numerical disadvantage. Argentina meanwhile looked assured on the ball, but too often lacked the final product necessary to open the game up. The best chances early on came from distance. Angel Di Maria smashed over after a great cross-field ball from Javier Mascherano, while Zabaleta and Messi also threatened without a great deal of danger.
With 15 minutes left Batista brought on Javier Pastore, and the Palermo man seemed to add creativity to the unit. A beautiful combination with Messi released Higuain, and the no. 9 was only denied by a fantastic save one-on-one. That was followed by a heart-stopping moment for home fans, when Sergio Romero had to stop Forlan clear through.
Lugano also went close in heading a Forlan corner over the bar, but neither side could break the deadlock and the match entered extra time. Argentina were forced to do it without their captain; Mascherano became the second player to be expelled, once more for a second-booking. A Carlos Tevez free-kick almost avoided that outcome, but Muslera palmed away the substitute's effort before saving from Higuain at point-blank range.
Both teams had chances to wrap up the game in the additional half-hour. A poor clearance from Nicolas Burdisso gave Alvaro Pereira a half-chance, and his shot went barely over the cross-bar. Higuain also had a glorious chance, but smashed against the post with just Muslera to beat. Pastore and Higuain then went close in the second half, but as the minutes ticked by, penalties loomed on the horizon.
Messi went first for the hosts and duly sent Muslera the wrong way. Forlan responded for Uruguay with his kick going straight down the middle into the top. Burdisso and Suarez also netted convincingly, before Tevez saw his powerful effort kept out by Muslera.
Scotti, Pastore, Gargano and Higuain all converted their efforts to leave the spotkicks poised at 4-4, but Caceres tucked away the final penalty to send Uruguay into the semi-final 5-4.

Subrata to lead India vs Qatar

New Delhi: Goalkeeper Subrata Paul was India’s hero in the Asian Cup at Doha last January. His outstanding performance saved India from being routed against mighty opponents in the tournament.

The Pune FC custodian had also been the national team’s most consistent performer in the last three years. And he gets his reward on Sunday night, when he will lead India for the first time in a friendly tie against hosts Qatar at Al Sadd Sports Club.

“It’s just another match in the life of a footballer. But on the other hand, it’s an honour which every player dreams of — an inspiration to do better,” Paul said. “My dream to is to serve my country to the best of my abilities and as long as possible.”

Against Qatar, however, Paul has to remain extremely vigilant under the bar, as the 2006 Asian Games champions are a formidable squad, ranked 94 in the Fifa rankings, compared to India’s 147.

National coach Armando Colaco is likely to make only one change from the team that played in the 1-1 draw against Maldives in Male. Steven Dias is not fully fit and Lalrindika Ralte is expected to take his place.

Colaco is not perturbed by India’s not too encouraging display against Maldives. “A lot has to be done and achieved in three weeks of training. But I’m happy in the manner we played our first match against Maldives.

Likely first XI: Subroto Paul; Debabrata Roy, Raju Gaekwad, Gourmangi Singh and Sameer Naik; Lalrindika Ralte, Mehtab Hussain, Climax Lawrence and Syed Rahim Nabi; Jeje Lalpeklhua and Sunil Chetri.

The kick-off is slated for 9pm IST.

North Korea Doping Scandal: 3 More Players Test Positive For Steroids At Women's World Cup

By RAF CASERT 07/16/11 11:47 AM ET

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Five North Korea players have tested positive for steroids at the women's World Cup, soccer's biggest doping scandal at a major tournament in 17 years.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said Saturday that after two players were caught during the tournament this month, FIFA tested the rest of the North Korean squad and found three more positive results.
"This is a shock," Blatter said at a news conference. "We are confronted with a very, very bad case of doping and it hurts."
Meanwhile, Colombia's reserve goalkeeper Yineth Varon been suspended for failing an out-of-competition test just before the World Cup in the wake of undergoing hormonal treatment. It was the first doping case in the history of the women's World Cup.
FIFA annually spends some $30 million on 35,000 doping tests. Despite the cases at the women's World Cup, "doping really is a marginal, fringe phenomenon in football," Blatter said.
The last doping case at a major event came at the men's 1994 World Cup in the United States, when Diego Maradona was kicked out after testing positive for stimulants.
FIFA has already met with a North Korean delegation and heard arguments that the steroids were accidentally taken with traditional Chinese medicines based on musk deer glands to treat players who had been struck by lightning on June 8 during a training camp in North Korea.
The case will be taken up by FIFA's disciplinary committee. Players, male or female, face a ban of up to two years for such infractions.
Defenders Song Jong Sun and Jong Pok Sim tested positive for steroids after North Korea's first two group games and were suspended for the last match. The team was eliminated in the first round after losses to the United States and Sweden and a draw with Colombia.
Blatter said the North Korean federation "wrote to us and they presented their excuses. They said that a lightning strike was responsible for this."
The names of the three other players would only be made public at a later stage, FIFA said.
The gland in question comes from musk deer living in a large swathe of Asia from Siberia to North Korea. The hairy 4-centimeter gland is usually cut open to extract a liquid that is used for medical purposes.
Doping officials have been concerned about such naturally occurring substances in recent years. During the run-up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, FIFA's concerns focused on African plants that could players an unfair advantage by providing energy boosts or helping to heal muscle injuries.
FIFA investigators who discovered evidence of doping in the North Korean samples were in uncharted territory as such steroids had not previously been encountered. Experts from the World Anti-Doping Agency were called in to confirm the breach of doping rules.
"It was very complex," FIFA's chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak said. He added that the medical officer of the North Korea team provided a sample of the medicine to help their analysis.
The musk gland extract "it is not part of the world of doping," Dvorak said. "It is really the first case in which this has been discovered."
The North Koreans first mentioned the lightning incident after losing their opening match to the United States. When North Korean officials were asked later, they refused to elaborate on the circumstances.
North Korean coach Kim Kwang Min said after their first match against the United States that "more than five" players were sent to the hospital. Goalkeeper Hong Myong Hui, four defenders and some of the midfielders were the players most affected, Kim said.
"The physicians actually said the players were not capable of playing in the tournament," Kim said through an interpreter.
Dvorak said the information was still sketchy.
"We saw some pictures with ambulances and saw that some players were taken from the pitch, but that is all we have," he said.
FIFA also got information from North Korea about the initial hospital treatment of the players and "this very first report did not include the traditional Chinese medicine," Dvorak said.
The tournament ends Sunday with the final between the United States and Japan.

Fans see red and strip Rooney loony who turned up to Liverpool training session wearing a Man United kit

You'd think even a boy would know that when you go to see Liverpool play, the last thing you should wear is the shirt of Manchester United, their hated arch-rivals.
And this young lad felt the full force of Liverpool fandom when a stadium full of Kop supporters chanted and jeered at him, eventually managing to strip off his controversial kit.
Scroll down for video

Faux pas: Rowdy Liverpool fans quickly noticed the Red Devils shirt in their midst

Terrifying: The foolish lad faced the wrath of the crowd

He tried to remain inconspicuous, staying at the back of the stadium in Malaysia where Liverpool were training as part of their Asian tour.
But in a Red Devils shirt - particularly one with the name of former Everton player Wayne Rooney on the back - he was never going to stay unnoticed for long.

Rough treatment: One Reds supporter decided to take matters into his own hands

Struggle: The boy couldn't stop irate fans from taking his United shirt

He quickly drew the attention of the whole stand, who started chanting at him to take the kit off.
When he refused, the Reds fans took matters into their own hands, mobbing him and removing the United shirt. In celebration, they sang Kop anthem You'll Never Walk Alone.

Defiant: He resisted one woman's attempt to force a Liverpool strip on him

Moody: He was understandably annoyed and soon sloped off

But he stuck to his guns, and rather than wear the Liverpool shirt which they tried to press on him he sat in a sulk, before sloping off from the stand.
The boy returned a few minutes later, and seems to have learned the error of his ways - this time around, he was wearing the altogether less contentious shirt of Malaysia's national team.

Lajong FC camp begins

Shillong, July 15: Shillong Lajong FC will start its pre-season camp from Monday, as a step towards its I League campaign.

The camp will be followed by a pre-season trip around the Northeast where the team will participate in the Independence Day Celebration Football Tournament at the newly laid artificial turf at Aizawl, starting August 8.

“Our Northeast trip would be an exercise to expand our fan base in the region,” coach Pradhyum Reddy said today.

He added that during the trip, a camp to scout for young talent for the under-14 and under-16 teams would also be undertaken.

The region has been feeding the big clubs in the I-League with a steady stream of talent.

Four members of the Shillong Lajong youth team have been selected for training at the academy of the Bayern Munich club in Germany.

The quartet includes Ram Chettri, 14, and Suman Rai from Sikkim, Jacob Lalrawngbawla, 16, from Mizoram and Donbor Nongkynrih, 15, from Meghalaya.

They are expected to leave for Germany on Tuesday where they would be trained for a fortnight at the academy.
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Man Utd: world's most valuable sports team

Manchester: Manchester United have been named as the most valuable sports team in the world by Forbes magazine.
The Red Devils, who are valued at 1.86 billion dollars, beat NFL team Dallas Cowboys and the New York Yankees top of the list.
Out of the top 50 sports teams in the annual list, all 32 NFL sides were included, while just eight football clubs from around the world made it.

Real Madrid, in fifth place, are the second most valuable football club, while Arsenal and Chelsea are in seventh and 46th place respectively.
United's advertising revenue has a big impact on their valuation, with the club having an 80 million pounds, four-year deal with shirt sponsor Aon and a 302.9 million pounds, 13-year deal with Nike.
The club also gain their revenue from the club's fanbase, with an estimated 333,000,000 supporters around the world.

Copa: 'Uruguay to focus on match, not Messi'

Cordoba: Trying to mark Argentina's Lionel Messi is a waste of time so Uruguay will concentrate on their virtues of grit and self-belief to win their Copa America quarterfinal, coach Oscar Tabarez said on Thursday.
The great rivals, who hold a joint record of 14 titles in South America's elite tournament, clash in another "Clasico del Rio de la Plata" in Santa Fe on Saturday with both looking to improve on their performances to date.
Argentina came good in their last Group A match when they beat Costa Rica 3-0. Messi was close to his creative best but is still without a goal for his country in 15 competitive matches.

"If you have a problem and you don't have the solution, why worry? Messi can give us a lot of problems which won't go away whatever we do to try to avoid them," Tabarez told reporters in Buenos Aires.
"But there are a lot of things we can do that neither Messi nor anyone else can prevent, those things that are part of the identity of this squad, of being stubborn, of believing we can (do it)," he said.
Diego Forlan, voted player of the 2010 World Cup where Uruguay were surprise semifinalists, has also yet to find the net and his partnership with Luis Suarez has suffered without the presence of injured Edinson Cavani, the third man in the side's attacking triumvirate.
FORLAN THREAT
This does not make Messi, who will play a remarkable 66th match this season, any less wary of the potential Uruguay have to spoil Argentine ambitions of ending an 18-year wait for a major title on home soil.
"Forlan is a great player and we all know we can't give him any room (because) he kicks well with both feet (and) links well with Suarez," Messi told reporters at Argentina's base camp outside Buenos Aires.
"Playing against South American national teams is very difficult, they play with two lines of four ... We have to find a way round that," he added, having struggled with the marking in Argentina's draws against Bolivia and Colombia.
Dark horses Colombia and Peru play in the second quarterfinal on Saturday. Neither team has enjoyed much success in recent years.
Peru last reached the World Cup finals in 1982 and finished bottom of South America's 2010 qualifiers.
Colombia have fared a little better and were the last team to deny Brazil the Copa America trophy in their only title as hosts in 2001. They now appear to have the potential to rival their great 1990s generation, however.
"This (team's) football is quicker than in those days, because of the players' characteristics but they too have good technique and tactical discipline," said coach Hernan Dario Gomez, the link with the sides that went to three World Cups between 1990 and 1998.
A win for Colombia on Saturday would bring a re-match with Argentina following their stirring 0-0 draw in the group phase.
Champions Brazil face Paraguay in La Plata on Sunday before Chile and Venezuela clash in the last of the quarterfinals in San Juan.

Nim Lepcha to skipper Bhaichung's United Sikkim in I-League 2

GANGTOK: Local lad Nim Tshering Lepcha has been chosen to lead Bhaichung Bhutia's United Sikkim Football Club in the upcoming season of I-League 2.

Lepcha has been appointed captain on the basis of his performance in the last season.

"He is a local boy. He's has been involved with Sikkim Sporting for a while and besides, he is also very hardworking and dedicated," Bhaichung said.

There will be a total of seven players from Sikkim, including former India skipper Bhaichung, in the team that finished fourth in the last season.

The club has signed three foreign players for the season -- Bidemi Daniel, Quantum Jacob and Baba Tundey. It has also signed three national players from Manipur in Sushil Kumar Singh, Gobind Singh and Thor Singh.

The team kicked off its started session at the Paljor Stadium on Tuesday and the two-hour session was also attended by Bhutia and ace India midfielder Renedy Singh.

The club has signed players, including new goalkeepers, from I-League clubs Sporting Club-de-Goa, Churchill Brothers, Salgaokar, the disbanded JCT and Arhima.

"The team has started training at the right time with a full contingent. There is a better hope for a better performance this season," said chief coach Stanley Rosario.

Besides the I-League, the 35-member team will also be playing other tournaments within and outside the state.

U.S. Women Beat Brazil After Stunning Goal At Women's World Cup

DRESDEN, Germany -- The Americans are moving on to the semifinals after one of the most riveting games in the history of the Women's World Cup - beating Brazil 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie.

Abby Wambach tied it with a magnificent, leaping header in the 122nd minute, and goalkeeper Hope Solo denied the Brazilians again.

"We believe we can win this tournament," Wambach said. "I don't know if you can write a better script."

For Brazil, it is yet another disappointment at a major tournament. And this one is sure to sting more than any others because Marta had it won for the Brazilians on Sunday, scoring her second goal of the game in the second minute of overtime for the 2-1 lead that would have sent the Americans to their earliest exit ever. But Erika stalled when she went down on a tackle, and the delay added three minutes of stoppage time to the game.

That was all the time Wambach and the Americans needed, after pushing themselves to limit while playing a woman short from the 66th minute on.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Megan Rapinoe sent a blast of a cross from the left side that Andreia didn't come close to getting her hands on. Wambach, one of the best players in the world in the air, made contact and with one furious whip of her head, buried it in the near side of the net.

Wambach let out a primal scream and slid into the corner, pumping her fists, quickly being mobbed by her teammates. It was the latest goal in World Cup history.

"I have not many words for this," Wambach said. "I am so happy."

The Americans, shooting first, made their three penalty kicks only to have Cristiane and Marta easily match them. But then it was Daiane's turn - the same Daiane who'd given the U.S. a 1-0 lead with an own goal in the second minute of the game. She took a hard shot, but Solo stretched out and batted it away.

Though the U.S. still had to make two more, the celebration was already starting. After Rapinoe smoked the net with a blast and Ali Krieger converted hers, the Americans raced onto the field, their joy only matched by that of the pro-American crowd of 25,598. Wambach tackled Solo and U.S. coach Pia Sundhage even broke out her air guitar when AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" began to play.

Shake the tournament, the Americans did. The win came exactly 12 years after the Americans won a penalty-kick shootout against China to win the title at the Rose Bowl.

The U.S. moves on to Wednesday's semifinals to play France, which eliminated England on penalty kicks Saturday.

"Phenomenal," Sundhage said. "Somebodys's writing this book. It speaks to the American attitude."

While the Americans partied, Marta and the Brazilians could only watch in stunned silence and Cristiane repeatedly wiped away tears during postgame interviews. Despite a star-studded roster led by Marta, the FIFA player of the year five times running, Brazil has never won a major tournament. It lost to the Americans in the two Olympic gold-medal games, and to Germany in the 2007 World Cup final.

The U.S. has now eliminated Brazil at five of the last seven major tournaments. The lone consolation was that Marta's goals, the 13th and 14th of her career, tied her with Birgit Prinz atop the all-time World Cup scoring list.

The Americans also have won their last five meetings against Brazil.

None, however, was more memorable than this.

Brazil spotted the U.S. the lead in the second minute with an own goal by Daiane, then spent the next 63 trying furiously for the equalizer - and getting increasingly frustrated with every minute they didn't get it.

When they finally did, it was clouded in controversy.

Marta made a dangerous run into the box in the 65th, beating two U.S. defenders and coming practically nose to nose with Solo before Rachel Buehler tracked back and dragged her down. Referee Jacqui Melksham not only ruled it a penalty but a red card as well. Cristiane, who already scored one goal off a penalty, took the kick. Solo made a perfect read and smacked it away, pumping her fists as Lloyd ran toward her to grab her in a bearhug.

But Melksham ordered the penalty retaken - and gave Solo a yellow card, even though replays showed the American hadn't left her line.

As the crowd jeered and whistled, Marta stepped up for the retake, staring down her old foe. Solo cost Marta and the Brazilians the gold medal in Beijing, stopping a point-blank blast from Marta in the 72nd minute of the Olympic final. This time, however, Marta got the best of the U.S. 'keeper, burying the ball to pull the Brazilians even.

As she walked away from the spot, Marta slapped her right arm and woofed at the crowd.

Fired up, the Americans repeatedly pushed forward over the last 20 minutes but couldn't get a decent shot. The closest they came was a blast from Rapinoe in stoppage time, but it was from long range and it was never a real threat to Andreia.

Marta seemed to put the game out of reach in the 92nd minute - though replays seemed to show that the player who fed her the ball was offside.

But the Americans, criticized after losing four games in the last eight months, have talked repeatedly about their resilience. On this day, it was on full display.

Hanglep triumph, to represent Manipur

Subroto trophy

The Hanglep Government High School, Churchandpur team receives the trophy at Khuman Lampak main stadium in Imphal on Sunday. Telegraph picture
Imphal, July 10: Hanglep Government High School, Churchandpur, blanked Martin Grammar English School by two goals to emerge champions of the Under-14 Boy’s Inter-School Football Tournament for the Subroto Mukherjee Trophy at Khuman Lampak main stadium today.
Hanglep will now represent Manipur in the Under-14 category Subroto Mukherjee title round in New Delhi later this year.
In the final, the Hanglep team showed aggression and gave the Martin Grammar boys a harrowing time.
Hanglep opened their score account in the 10th minute after Jesse Ngamlenmang scored from a header, collecting a cross from the right penalty edge.
The Martin Grammar forwards pushed the limit without any support from the medios. The Hanglep defenders had no difficulty in cutting off any attack, making matters worse for Martin Grammar. Forty minutes into the second half of play, Hanglep Government High School consolidated with their second goal, as Kammingsei, running on the right goalline, popped up a cross to the goalmouth and Phungtanlian had an easy time in pushing home the winning goal.
AMFA secretary L. Ranjit Roy, along with others, distributed the prizes.
The Under-17 Boy’s qualifying rounds will begin tomorrow at Khuman Lampak main stadium.

Indian National Team: It Is Easier For The Boys From The North East To Play Passing Football – Robert Lalthlamuana

The Mizoram boy says that it’s easier for the players hailing from the north east to play the passing football…

By Rahul Bali

I-League: Salgaocar's Ryuji Sueoka and Churchill's Robert

Robert Lalthlamuana is a pleased man having earned a place in the 30 member national squad who are set to play a few friendly matches ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers against United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The left back has represented the India U-23 a few times but has been part of the national squad touring abroad to play matches.
“This is the first time I am part of the senior camp and it feels good. Hope I get a chance to play as well,” Robert said optimistically.
With new coach Armando Colaco stressing on playing the ball along the ground instead of the long ball tactics adopted previously, Robert points that it is difficult for players hailing from the north east to play with the latter strategy.
“In Mizoram, the boys prefer to play the ball along the ground more. I like this style too. The reason being since people from the north east part of India aren’t very tall, we usually play along the ground.
“And so for me to adapt to coach Colaco’s style wasn’t very difficult,” Robert told Goal.com.
Having secured a transfer to East Bengal from Churchill Brothers, Robert states that the national camp has been a great learning experience for him especially getting a chance to mingle with the senior lot.
“I got to learn a lot from Debabrata Roy and Samir Naik. And it wasn’t just about football but also about discipline and other related stuff,” he mentioned.
With a rising number of Mizo players in the I-League, Robert is pleased for them and has high hopes from players hailing his native state in the coming years.
“With the new artificial turf in Mizoram, we now have a good ground. The Mizoram boys are getting a chance in the I-League. Look at Shillong Lajong – they have the maximum boys from Mizoram which is a good sign,” said Robert.

via goal.com

Bhaichung and Rennedy Will be Missed

By BABUA BISWAS

They will be Missed

Team India is all set to face Maldives on Sunday for a friendly match as part of their preparations for the World Cup Qualifiers against UAE to be played on July 23 and 28. The match on Sunday will be the Blue Tigers first international since the resignation of Bob Houghton and will also be interim Coach Armando Colaco’s first assignment as the National coach.
The Indian Football contingent will face Maldives after over 20 days of preparation in Delhi under the watchful eyes of Coach Armando, who enforced a short ground passing game rather than the long ball strategy adopted by the former English Coach Bob Houghton.
“It’s exciting; there’s more responsibility. The passion for one’s country knows no bounds,” Armando said. But the seasoned coach that he is, Armando stays aware passion alone won’t win him a football match.
Selecting a mix blend of youth and experience, Team India did look good over the practices. But what might be a concern for the team is the lack of match fitness as most of the player sans the junior, played their last competitive match for their I-league teams close to two months back.
Subrata as usual will man the goal and he being fit for the match is a good sign for India as he has been consistent with his superlative performance. Starting the defensive line-up with Gouramangi, Raju Gaikwad, Robert Lalthlamuana and Mahesh Gawli would be a good option if Colaco sticks by his word of youth and experience.
The midfield is a case of concern for me as I fell no Indian players is as good as Rennedy Singh to carry out the responsibility in that area. His speed, clever running, his long rangers and above all his lethal free kicks will be missed. In the absence of Rennedy, likely starters in the midfield would be Syed Nabi, Lalrindika Ralte, Jewel Raja and Steven Dias.
The striking pair of Jeje and Chhetri has been a much talk off issue after their successful pairing in the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifier earlier this year. But what if anyone of them gets injured or is shown a card. None of the three other strikers in the squad ’CS Sabeeth, Sushil Kumar Singh, Baljit Sahni.’ is as good as them.
This is where the experience and leadership quality of Bhaichung could have come handy. He has the ability to lead his players from the front and lift them up Remember the last 15 minutes Bhaichung played in the AFC Cup against S.Korea. The whole approach of the game changed. Bhaichung’s undoubtedly is no longer a 90 minutes player. But he can still be lethal coming in as a substitute in the later part of the second half as his presence only lifts the moral of the team.
If Colaco stands by his word and play the mix blend of youth and experience then it’s good. However if the juniors are left out then he will have to face the wrath of the critics for the omission of senior pros like Bhaichung and Rennedy.

Arrows in dilemma after loaned players return to their clubs

Kolkata, July 10 (PTI) The Indian Arrows may have shifted their base to Kolkata but uncertainty looms large over the composition of the team that will have eight of its premier players returning to their mother clubs after playing for the AIFF side on one year 'loan'. As of now, the AIFF is depending on its president Praful Patel to sort out the issue with the respective clubs. The AIFF had last year bought about 8 players like Jeje Lalpeklhua (Pune FC), Raju Gaikwad (East Bengal) and Lalrindika Ralte (Churchill) on a one-year loan for the Arrows. "The players are free to go to their respective clubs as of now as the contract was for one year. It's up to the president now to retain the players if he thinks so by talking about the matter with the respective clubs," AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told the reporters after a meeting at the IFA. As AIFF is about to sign the contract on dotted lines, a question mark still remains on how the quality of the outfit will be sustained considering that the parent body will have to shell out a lot of money that professional clubs are ready to shell out. About the deal with Pailan, AIFF vice president Subrata Dutta said that the official sponsors will provide the logistical support but federation will have the prerogative in terms of team selection and technical aspects. Asked whether the team would compete in the Calcutta Football League (CFL) Premier Division, Dutta, also the vice presient of, IFA said, "In order to do that, the Arrows need to come under IFA affiliation."

Weifang Cup Squad named

Shandong (China), July 7 (IBNS) A 22-member squad will represent India in the U-19 Weifang Cup in Shandong, China. The team leaves for Shanghai on July 10 for the preparatory camp. The team will then travel to Shandong for the tournament which kicks-off on August 1. FC Benfica, FC Guadalajara Chivas, China’s U-19 National Team, FC Chunna Dragons have already confirmed their participation in the tourney.

The squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Kamaljit Singh (Punjab), Albino Gomes (Goa), Nitin Meel (Haryana).

Defenders: Bikramjit Singh (Punjab), Sonu (Haryana), Arijeet Singh (West Bengal), Pawan Kumar (Haryana), Akashdeep Singh (Chandigarh), Pritam Kotal (West Bengal), Edwin (Karnataka), Narayan Das (Jharkhand).

Midfielders: Sehnaj Singh (Chandigarh), Prabir Das (West Bengal), Pronoy Halder (Jharkhand), Brandon Fernandes (Goa), Johny Chand Singh (Goa), Sunny (Punjab), Anto Xavier (Karnataka).

Strikers: Holicharan Narzary (Assam), Sumit Passi (Chandigarh), Rajinder Kumar (Chandigarh), Malswamfela (Mizoram), Pankaj Sona (Jharkhand), Lalnunmawia (Mizoram).

Head Coach: Colm Toal.

Assistant Coaches: Francisco Bruto da Costa, Shabir Pasha.

Goalkeeping Coach: Feroze Sheriff.

Physio: Vijayan Inian Lenin.

Meanwhile the U-19 squad defeated Sesa Football Academy 10-0 in their last practice match. Rajinder Kumar scored a hat-trick, Sumit Passi scored a brace while Pronoy Halder, Yumnam Meetei, Malswamfela, Brandon Fernandes and Souvik Das scored one apiece.

In another practice match, the U-16 National Team defeated U-16 Salgaocar team 5-0. Jagnathan Oraon scored a brace while Uttam Rai, Sarthak Golui and Germanpreet Singh scored one apiece.

Striker Jeje set to return to Pune FC

Mumbai, Jul 7 (PTI) Mizoram-born India striker Jeje Lalpekhlua is set to return to Pune FC, the club that signed him as its first recruit four years ago, for the 2011-12 season, a statement from the club said today. "I am happy that I will be going back to play for Pune FC, the club where I began," the 20-year-old said on his return to the club, which he represented from 2007-08 to 2009-10. "Pune FC have been very supportive, the management, coach, technical staff helped me every time I needed it the most," he added. "

Having signed a one-year contract then, Jeje went on to make waves and got shortlisted in the India Under-19 squad that was picked for the AFC U-19 qualification round in Tehran, Iran. Jeje in toto agrees to the "big break" Pune FC handed him four seasons back, which was an opportunity he so eagerly yearned and dreamt of as a youngster.

"Today the 'good player' that I am is because of the initial support given by Pune FC," the former India U-19 captain said. Pune FC General Manager Dr Ashok Kumar spotted the Mizoram-born player, who was then just 17, at a camp in Goa in 2007 and he was signed up by the club as its first player. India's success at the SAFF Cup in 2009-10, in which Jeje played a stellar role, led to Pune FC increasing his payment substantially leading to a three-year extension keeping him at the club till May 2013.

But the formation of Indian Arrows by the All India Football Federation, primarily to develop an Indian team for the future, resulted in Jeje being 'loaned' out for a year at the request of AIFF President Praful Patel.