Author: SpogoNews Team

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…

Margao, Jan 5 (PTI) Mumbai City FC extended their unbeaten run in the Hero Indian Super League with a comfortable 3-1 win over Bengaluru FC at the Fatorda Stadium on Tuesday. Goals from Mourtada Fall (9′), Bipin Singh (15′) and Bartholomew Ogbeche (84′) helped the Islanders remain unbeaten in their last eight games and climb to the top of the table. Sunil Chhetri (79′) scored late but it wasn’t enough to rescue BFC, who have now suffered three straight league defeats for the first time ever since they joined the elite tier of Indian football. Bengaluru made just one change…

New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) The Australian wickets suit Rohit Sharma’s batting style and if he can see off the pacers with the new ball, the Indian vice-captain can conjure a big century in the Sydney Test, reckons former India batsman VVS Laxman. An injury during the IPL forced Rohit to miss a major part of the Australia tour, where India lost the ODI series, won the T20 assignment and the Test series is locked at 1-1. Laxman feels struggling opener Mayank Agarwal, who has scores of 17, 9, 0, 5 in the first two matches, will make way for…

Karachi, Jan 5 (PTI) A total of 25 foreign players, including big names like Chris Gayle, Dale Steyn and Rashid Khan have enlisted themselves in the draft for the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League. The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday released the list of foreign players with big names like Rashid Khan, Chris Gayle, and Dale Steyn placed in the Platinum category. A PCB official said the interest by foreign players in the coming PSL was very good despite a packed international calendar in February-March. The PCB has placed Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir…

Sydney, Jan 5 (PTI) A ‘warrior’ that he is, David Warner has done everything to be ready and is likely to compete in the third Test against India, Australia head coach Justin Langer said on Tuesday and assured that lack of four-day cricket for the opener in the last few months is not a concern. Langer also announced that young batsman Will Pucovski will make his Test debut on Thursday. Both Warner and Pukovski, who was primed for Test debut in Adelaide, missed the first two Tests of the series due to a groin injury and concussion-related issues respectively. “Very…