Author: SpogoNews Team

New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) Former India striker Abhishek Yadav has been appointed as the first deputy general secretary of All India Football Federation (AIFF) after the sports body decided to create a new post in its hierarchy. It is one of the rare instances when a former Indian team player has been appointed to a high-ranking position in the sport's national federation. The 40-year-old former international, who has played with the likes of Bhaichung Bhutia, Sunil Chhetri, Mahesh Gawli and Climax Lawrence, has been serving as national team's director since January 2018. "Abhishek has done a commendable job so…

New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) First-timers Sudeva Delhi FC are aiming to win as many matches as possible in the upcoming I-League and make a statement in their maiden season in the country’s second tier football league. Head coach Chencho Dorji said that he would want his players to be at the best of their abilities while maintaining a healthy win/loss ratio. Speaking at the club’s virtual media day, Dorji said, “We have to give our cent per cent in each and every match. We would want to fight for the title and learn from our defeats. If possible we…

Vasco, Jan 5 (PTI) Boosted by their first-ever Indian Super League victory, SC East Bengal will look to continue the good form when they take on FC Goa at the Tilak Maidan Stadium here on Wednesday. The new year brought new fortunes for debutants SC East Bengal as they finally bagged their first win in the ISL, brushing aside Odisha FC 3-1 in their last outing. Both sides find themselves at the opposite ends of the points table. SCEB are placed second from the bottom while Goa have jumped to third after late comeback victories over Jamshedpur and Hyderabad. The…

Bambolim (Goa), Jan 4 (PTI) Hyderabad FC outclassed former champions Chennaiyin FC with a 4-1 win and snapped their three-match losing streak in the Indian Super League here on Monday. It was a royal performance from the Nizams as they raised the level of their game after a goal-less first half to pump in four goals in the second session for a commanding victory. Joel Chianese (50th), Halicharan Narzary (53rd, 79th) and Joao Victor (74th) were on the scoresheet for Hyderabad while Anirudh Thapa (67th) scored the only goal for Chennaiyin, who suffered their first-ever defeat against the Nizams. With…

Gangtok, Jan 4 (PTI) United Sikkim Football Club (USFC), owned by former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia, on Monday announced it will revive both its junior and senior teams and aimed at bringing the ISL into the state. The state’s top club said it will also focus on its grassroots programme. The club’s senior manager Arjun Rai said that all their members, supporters and players wanted the club management to change its initial decision of not running the senior team. “The club will now concentrate on both senior and junior level football from the rural and rural grassroots starting from this…

Margao, Jan 4 (PTI) A struggling Bengaluru FC will have their task cut out when they take on formidable Mumbai City FC in a bid to reverse their fortunes in the Indian Super League here on Tuesday. Mumbai are enjoying a dream run this season, remaining unbeaten in their last seven matches and maintaining clean sheets in their last two games. On the other hand, for the first time in the history of ISL, BFC have failed to score in consecutive games, losing to ATK Mohun Bagan and Jamshedpur FC in their previous two fixtures. “We had some more time…

Bambolim, Jan 2 (PTI) Mumbai City FC reclaimed the top spot in the Indian Super League following a 2-0 win over Kerala Blasters FC at the GMC Stadium here on Saturday. First-half goals from Adam Le Fondre (3rd minute) and Hugo Boumous (11th) ensured full points for the Islanders who are now unbeaten in their last seven games. Mumbai punished Kerala for an early error which gifted them the first goal in the third minute. Boumous latched on to a Vicente Gomez back-pass and the Frenchman was brought down in the box by Nhamoinesu and won a penalty. Le Fondre…

Vasco, Jan 2 (PTI) Bolstered by the signing of Nigerian forward Bright Enobakhare, struggling SC East Bengal will look to revamp their attack and secure their first win in the ISL when they face laggards Odisha FC here on Sunday. In a battle between two bottom-rung teams, who are winless from seven matches, Robbie Fowler-coached SCEB appear favourites on paper and they would hope to overcome their attacking woes that have plagued the team so far. In their maiden season in the top-tier ISL, the Red-and-Gold have been let down badly up front by the misfiring Indian duo of Balwant…

Panaji, Jan 2 (PTI) SC East Bengal on Saturday announced the signings of defenders Raju Gaikwad and Ankit Mukherjee for the rest of the Hero Indian Super League season. Mumbai-born centre-back Gaikwad was with Kerala Blasters last season. Gaikwad has a lot of experience, having played for Kolkata giants — East Bengal and Mohun Bagan — in the I-League along with stints at FC Goa, Jamshedpur FC and Mumbai City FC in the ISL. “I am delighted to reunite with SC East Bengal, a club I played for in the past. We all know how big a club it is…

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) After a three-week break, a 33-member Indian men’s hockey core probable group, including skipper Manpreet Singh and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, will return to the national camp scheduled to begin in Bengaluru from Tuesday. The camp will take place at the Sports Authority of India campus and the core group will undergo a mandatory quarantine period before re-starting training as per SAI and Hockey India SOPs. “I expect the players to return feeling fresh both mentally and physically after this three-week break,” chief coach Graham Reid was quoted as saying in a Hockey India release. “In…