Delhi Dynamos FC girls team advance to quarter finals of Subroto Cup, beat CBSE girls 22-0
The Delhi Dynamos F.C. eves team, who started their campaign with a 7-0 victory over MP, and were awarded a bye in their last match against Tamil Nadu, entered the match as a strong favorite. They lived up to the billing and propelled an onslaught from the word go with left back Navneet Kaur drawing first blood as early as the third minute of the match.
They could hardly recover from the early blow as Delhi Dynamos F.C.’s striker Renu doubled their woes in the next minute with a clean strike, first of her 13 goals during the course of the match. It opened the floodgates and the Lioness’ launched a scathing attack on their opponents scoring goals at will with CBSE players running for shelter. They were toying with their opponents and this time it was their central midfielder Anjali Syal who found the back of the nets in the 8th minute. The goal fiesta continued and Renu the tormentor-in -chief pumped in nine more goals in the 10th, 15th, 20th, 30th,31st, 33rd,35th, 40th, 42nd, 43rd, 50th and 60th minutes of the match.
She was well supported by Syal, who followed her first goal with two more in the 39th and 54th minutes of the game to complete a majestic treble. The duo were well supported by Kaur, Mona, Yachika Garg and Bharti. While Mona added one more to her tally after her first goal, whereas Yachika and Bharti ticked the score sheet with a goal apiece.
The Delhi Dynamos F.C team will now take play in their quarterfinals on September 30, and their opponent is yet to be announced.
Edel Bete: FC Pune City's "Golden" fortress
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| Edel Bete - FC Pune City's - indiansuperleagueofficial.blogspot.in |
The former Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper put a stamp on his reputation early on by making a majestic save to deny Michael Chopra a goal in the 2014 final, one which earned him effusive praise from the former Kerala Blaster’ player-coach, David James. Following up on his excellent save percentage figure of 86.3% in the inaugural campaign, the Cameroonian-born Armenian won the Golden Glove award for his brilliance between the sticks last season and will vie for similar honours with his new home, FC Pune City.
Players who could prove to be surprising elements of Hero ISL 2016
Over the past two seasons of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL), India’s biggest footballing extravaganza has been more than just a platform for highly rated talents to realise their potential. It has acted as a launch-pad for big names to show us just what all the fuss is about, while also unearthing rough diamonds on a consistent basis. With Hero ISL 2016 now just days away and expected to be bigger than ever, we take a look at a few key individuals who are likely to have a major say in their team’s fortunes.
A flair player with attributes to capture the imagination of the audience, Argentine winger Matias Defederico will be looking to inspire Mumbai City FC to their maiden semi-final appearance this year. Already an influential figure for Mumbai, Defederico has enjoyed a good pre-season with the club. He scored once against Dubai Cultural Sports Club and provided frequent assists during Mumbai City FC’s 35-day pre-season tour to Dubai, from which they returned unbeaten. Head coach Alexandre Guimaraes will be hoping that Defederico can carry his early promise into the upcoming season and set the Hero ISL stage ablaze.
A product of Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy, Pitu Comadevall is another name that could be on everyone’s lips by the end of the season. An intelligent orchestrator of play from midfield, Pitu’s vision on the ball and his ability to pick out his teammates courtesy of eye-of-the-needle passes will definitely catch more than a few defensive backlines off guard this year. A team player, Pitu is just as efficient while tracking back and defending for his side. His smart positional sense and ability to unlock defences will have a major say on how the Stallions perform this season.
A pacey winger with the ability to go past defenders in tight spaces, Kean Lewis heads into Hero ISL 2016 as one of the most highly rated domestic talents. The 24-year-old already found the back of the net for Delhi Dynamos FC during their pre-season game against Swedish club Assyriska BK. He loves taking on full-backs, hugging the touchline and providing mouth-watering crosses from the wings, so that strikers can attack. A decent finisher himself, Lewis can be expected to have his fair share of assists and goals too.
A highly experienced player with exemplary work ethics, 28-year-old Yusa Katsumi from Japan will have a huge role to play in the upcoming season for NorthEast United FC. The talented playmaker comes with an abundance of experience of football in India and is expected to hit the ground running for the Highlanders. He has enjoyed a strong pre-season with NorthEast and is certain to play a major role in head coach Nelo Vingada’s plans.
Davide Succi will have big boots to fill for Chennaiyin FC this season as the reigning champions and top-scorers from last year look to become the first team to successfully defend the Hero ISL trophy. In Succi, Chennaiyin have perhaps found the ideal replacement for Stiven Mendoza to spearhead their attack, and judging by his goal-scoring prowess in the Super Machans’ pre-season matches, the passionate Chennai fans will not be disappointed. The veteran striker is more than just a goal-scorer, however, and his overall game that features attributes like shielding the ball from defenders with his back to goal fits perfectly into Chennai’s style of play.
Mendy: Chennaiyin FC's proven phenomenon
The turnaround in Chennaiyin FC’s fortunes and their subsequent surge to the 2015 Hero Indian Super League trophy coincided with a return to form for the robust French defender. The former Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers and Hull City defender’s performances towards the business end of the last season were absolutely pivotal in the southern outfit’s coronation.
The veteran centre-back made 17 blocks, 22 interceptions, 34 tackles and 71 clearances for the Super Machans. Equally effective on the opposite end of the pitch, Mendy along with FC Goa’s Gregory Arnolin head into the upcoming season as Hero ISL’s highest scoring defenders with three goals each. While his bicycle-kick in the inaugural edition of the league against Kerala Blasters FC remains one of the highlights of his time with Chennaiyin, it can also be argued his two goals last season had even more impact when taking into consideration that his side were rock bottom halfway through the league stage.
Comfortable playing the ball out of defence, his passing accuracy of 87% last year was better than most midfielders in the league. His flamboyant style of play and consistency that saw him notch up a few important Hero-of-the-Match awards in the business end of the league stage last year has made him a firm fan favourite. Head coach Marco Materazzi can be safe in the knowledge that Mendy will once again be marshalling the Super Machans as they look to retain the title and concede the least number of goals for the second season running.
Delhi Dynamos F.C. hold B.K. Hacken to an inspiring 2-2 draw
Delhi Dynamos Football Club continued their impressive run of form as they made a stunning comeback, thanks to their skipper Florent Malouda to pull off a thrilling 2-2 draw against the Swedish top-tier football club B.K. Hacken at the Bravida Arena here on Thursday.
Delhi Dynamos F.C. playing against B.K. Hacken for the second time in as many years, were chasing the match for the majority of the duration. At one point it looked like, the Lions will crash to their second defeat against the Swedish side, but a brace by Malouda saw them restore parity twice much to the delight of their head coach Gianluca Zambrotta, assuring a promising future for North India’s only Hero ISL club back home this year.
The hosts started off well and took the attack right to Delhi Dynamos F.C. from the onset and drew the first blood in the match through Alhassan Kamara, who scored as early as three minutes into the match. Dynamos regrouped immediately and almost snatched the equalizer in the fifth minute with Kean Lewis hitting a stinging shot, but unfortunately it landed wide.
After the early shock, the Delhi Dynamos F.C. squad started to grow into the game, with their players linking up well and creating difficulties for their opponent. They came real close to scoring again in the 18th minute when Milan Singh attempted to score from a distance. He got into a great position and fired in a long ranger, which missed the target by a mean margin. With the Lions in firm control of the proceeding, Hacken conjured up a counterattack much against the run of play and nearly scored their second goal of the night in the 25th minute, but it was Toni Doblas’ fine save that averted the danger.
With time running out in the first half, Delhi Dynamos F.C. were frantically pressing for an equalizer. They had another try at the goal in the 40th minute when David Addy’s shot on target was saved by the Gettiranga goalkeeper, who made a superb full stretch dive to keep his team’ lead intact. Just ahead of the half time whistle, the Lions had one more attempt at the goal, but as has been the story for the evening, luck deserted them again and Lewis’ shot landed just wide off the target.
With the half time whistle blown, teams walked into the tunnel with a scoreline of 1-0 in favour of the hosts, but even though the away side was down in the match, they were clearly the better team on the pitch and were unfortunate to have not scored a goal after having come so close on multiple occasions.
At the change of ends, as when the Lions were settling into the game, the Black and Yellow’s seized the opportunity and took the lead for the second time in the match through John Owoeri in the 55th minute. With the scoreline reading 2-0 it brought back memories of last year, and it looked like the Lions were on course of a second successive defeat at the Bravida, but the setback did not peg down the away side, and they shifted to damage control mode and were awarded a penalty in the 59th minute, when a rushing Malouda was fouled in the box. With sight set firmly on the target, the Frenchmen stepped up to take the spot kick and he buried the ball at the back of the nets with a vicious left footer, which saw the keeper dive the other way.
With more than half an hour left for the final whistle to be blown, it was payback time for Delhi Dynamos F.C. They kept making nippy runs through the midfield, and launched an array of scathing attacks on the home side. Brazilian Emerson Gomes, the new signing for Delhi Dynamos F.C. who made his debut for the club in the match, showed what the fans could expect from him in the season. He was controlling the game beautifully from the deep lying midfield position and had almost scored a goal on his first outing, when he drilled in a powerful shot from 35 yards, only for it to go over the bar.
With time running out for the Lions, Malouda took affairs in his own hands and came up with couple of goal-scoring opportunities, only to be denied on both occasions. But as luck would have it, his perseverance finally paid off as he scored his second of the match when he rose the highest to head a cross from Amoes Do to send the ball crashing at the back of the nets. With not much time left, both the teams made desperate attempts at sneaking in another goal, but it proved futile as the teams settled for a well-fought draw.
Delhi Dynamos F.C. sign Brazilian midfielder Emerson Gomes for Hero India Super League 2016
Delhi Dynamos Football Club the Delhi based Hero Indian Super League club continued their strategic acquisition of players and has added the Brazilian midfielder Emerson Gomes de Moura to their squad for the upcoming season.
The 28 year old, who primarily plays as a holding midfielder, but can also operate on the flanks if needed, is the latest foreign addition to the Delhi Dynamos’ roster and joins the club from Brazilian club America F.C, which plays in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C. His arrival will not only add more strength to the midfield but will also increase the versatility quotient of the team, which has been one of main focuses for the Lions while building the team for the coming season.
He has joined the Lions’ squad in Sweden where they are undergoing their pre-season training and is likely to feature in the friendlies for that the Delhi Dynamos F.C. are slated to play in Sweden.
Nicknamed as Memo, he has played for different clubs across Brazil. Having made his senior debut with the famous Brazilian club Santa Cruz where he rose through the youth ranks, he has gone on to play for some of the well-known clubs of Brazil including Botafogo-PB, Ponte Preta and America F.C. featuring in a total of 128 club games.
“It is a great opportunity for me to play in a fast growing league, and for that I would like to thank the Delhi Dynamos management for extending this offer to me. People talk a lot about ISL back in Brazil, as many big Brazilian players like Roberto Carlos and others have featured in the previous two seasons. It is a new experience for me, and I am looking forward to this challenge.” Memo said.
Head coach Gianluca Zambrotta was pleased with the signing and feels the new acquisition adds to the strength of Delhi Dynamos F.C.’s midfield this season.
“His addition to the side will strengthen the team’s midfield. He has played for different clubs across Brazil and I believe the experience that he has gained over the years will be of immense help to the team.” Zambrotta said.
“We welcome Memo to the Delhi Dynamos F.C. family. He is our third Brazilian signing this year and we are really happy to have him onboard with the Lions” said, the Club’s Chief Technical Officer Mr. Vishnu Madhu.
Delhi Dynamos F.C. scheduled to play three friendlies in Sweden
Delhi Dynamos F.C. the Delhi club in the Hero Indian Super League are on its way to Sweden to play three friendlies against Swedish national clubs. After the club created history by playing against a Premier League team, the squad has now reached Sweden for the second phase of their pre-season. They are slated to play three friendly games against BK Hacken, Assyriska BK and Skene IF.
The club’s midfielder Kean Lewis was highly impressive against West Brom and was delighted with the way the team performed and is looking forward to the stint in Sweden.
“The team is in great shape for the upcoming practice games in Sweden and we are really looking forward to it. The exposure that we will gain will only strengthen our squad for the season ahead. It will be a good bonding exercise for the team and will help us in understanding the playing style of each other better,” he added.
New signing Samir Nabi, who is a graduate of the West Brom Youth Academy, made his debut for Lions against the Baggies has reiterated his teammates view on the upcoming stint in Sweden.
“After a good show in UK, we are eagerly awaiting for the upcoming practice matches in Sweden. We will be playing against some of the good domestic teams of Sweden and adapting to different climate will be a big challenge. We will have to adapt quickly and carry on the momentum we built during our stay in UK, as it will be very crucial for us,’ Nabi said.
Gianluca Zambrotta’s side will play its first practice match in Sweden against top tier Swedish League team BK Hacken on Thursday, September 8 at the Bravida Arena followed by matches against fifth division side Ikene IF on Sunday, September 11 and the last practice match of their trip will be against the second division Swedish club Assyriska BK on Wednesday, September 14.
“We will be playing three practice matches in Sweden in quick succession which be a real test for the players. It will not only help us in trying out different strategies but also will help in analyzing the fitness level of the players,” the Italian said.
The team will return to India to September 15 and will continue their training in New Delhi, before the season begins on October 1.
FC Pune City players, support staff and team management offer prayers at Dagduseth Ganpati Mandal in Pune
After returning from their intensive pre-season training in Madrid, the Rajesh Wadhawan Group and Hrithik Roshan co-owned FC Pune City took a day off to visit the famous Dagduseth Ganpati in Pune and take blessings of the deity during the ongoing auspicious Ganesh festival.
For a change, the players and support staff gave up their usual football kits and looked dapper in ethnic wear epitomizing values and passion of the club specially created by Manyavar, India’s leading Celebration Wear brand for men.
With new season, comes new look kit for FC Pune City
The Rajesh Wadhawan Group and Hrithik Roshan co-owned Indian Super League club FC Pune City today unveiled their new look home and away kit for the 2016 season of Indian Super League in the presence of Head Coach Antonio Habas, marquee player Eidur Gudjohnsen, Jonathan Lucca, Edel Bete, Bruno Arias, Gouramangi Singh, Arata Izumi, Lenny Rodrigues and Sanju Pradhan at the atrium six, Phoenix Market City, Pune.
With a new season beckoning, the club decided to give a more vibrant look. The new home kit once again features the orange and purple that is synonymous with club. The thick vertical stripes have been replaced with distinctive horizontal stripes across the front intertwining the clubs colours in adidas’ lightweight and breathable round neck jersey. Meanwhile the away kit is white and grey in colour with a similar design pattern.
FC Pune City CEO Gaurav Modwel said the new look kit reflects our positive intent this season. “The new kit resonates the club’s intentions of ‘Play To Win’. The jersey will give our fans the closest experience of being a part of the club, almost like a second skin to the true blue fans of our club. To be the best you have to be with the best, and our kit partners adidas, with this new design, have once again proved why they are the best in the business.”
Speaking about the association, Hrishikesh Shende, Head of Football Division, adidas India said, “We are pleased to continue our association with FC Pune City. adidas believes in creating world class performance products for world class athletes and teams. The new design showcases our expertise in creating state-of-the-art football gear for a team brimming with top-notch talent.”
Head coach Antonio Habas said, “This is a welcome change and I am sure the fans will like the new look. FC Pune City fans welcomed a new coach in me with open arms. I am sure they will love the new kit and their players in it and eventually pick up one for themselves.”
Present at the event, Eidur Gudjohnsen, FC Pune City’s marquee player, said, “We are really pleased with the way it looks. I think the fans are really going to like it. I like the design with the fine stripes in the centre, it’s something different. I think it’s going to look really good.”
Co-owner and Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan was excited with the new look kit and said he was eager to don one as soon as the season starts. “Everything in this season is fresh and new and this reflects in our team kit. This new kit design showcases the new energy with which we will approach our season and the colours reflect the true spirit of FC Pune City.”
Delhi Dynamos F.C add Badara Badji and Lalruatthara to their squad for Hero ISL 2016
Hero Indian Super League side Delhi Dynamos Football Club announced the signing of Senegalese striker Badara Badji and young Indian defender Lalruatthara to their squad for the upcoming season.
Head coach Gianluca Zambrotta feels that both the players will certainly add more depth and speed to the squad and their addition will add great value to the team.
“I am really glad to have both the players in my squad and I am really looking forward to working with both the players. Badji has been part of the Dinamo Zagreb team and has also scored few goals which talks about his quality as a striker. His ability to put the opposition defence under pressure and score crucial goals will help us a lot in the season, while Lalruatthara is an exciting young talent and his addition will bring in more energy and speed to the squad which obviously will be very crucial for us in the season ahead.” Zambrotta said.
The double signing will not only further reinforce the New Delhi based side’s attacking option but will also strengthen the defensive line of the newly built Lions squad. Both the players are expected to join the squad today.
The 22 year old Senegalese, who operates mainly as a striker but is also very effective in the Number 10 role, is the final foreign acquisition by Delhi Dynamos F.C. and arrives at the club from Golden Lions Soccer Academy, Ghana and is known for his fiery pace and good ability in the air.
Badji, who made his debut for the Golden Lions in 2014, was sent out on loan in the same year to the Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb, where he played for their B team in the tier two of the Croatian Football League. He has scored a total of six goals in 29 matches for the club across all competitions.
“I am really thrilled to have been given this opportunity of joining the club and look forward to my stint in the Hero ISL. I had the chance to follow few games of the league last season and was really impressed by the quality of the football. It is a good league and I feel it is the perfect platform for me develop more as a player and prove my worth in a different league,” Badji said.
Mizoram lad Lalruatthara joins the Delhi Dynamos F.C., North India’s only Hero Indian Super League club from Aizawl F.C. on loan. He made his senior debut with Luangmual FC in 2012, where he stayed for a year before signing up with Mizoram Premier League club Chanmari FC in 2013. He made his first appearance in the I-League in 2015 after joining newly promoted Aizawl F.C. The defender who is one of the developmental signings for the club will be making his debut in the country’s premier soccer league.
“This is my first time in the ISL and I am very excited to be part of Delhi Dynamos. It is a huge opportunity for me to prove my worth and show everyone my capability as a player. I am looking forward to the new season and hope to learn a lot from the coach and my teammates,” the 21 year old Lalruatthara said.
“We are happy to welcome them to the Delhi Dynamos F.C., both the players are very good in their respective positions and we are quite confident that they will play a crucial role for us in the upcoming season,” Club’s Chief Technical Officer Mr. Vishnu Madhu said.
Delhi Dynamos F.C. has successfully completed all its foreign signings with the addition of Badara Badji, who very well might be the tallest striker in the Indian Super League this season standing at 6 feet 3 inches. The Lions are back in New Delhi, after an undefeated streak in Sweden and are continuing their pre-season training here in the capital until they leave for their first game of the season against Chennaiyin F.C. which is scheduled for the 6th of October.
Kerala Blasters to conduct pre-season training camp in Kolkata
Kerala Blasters will conduct their last leg of pre-season training at the Mohun Bagan facility in Kolkata from 20th Sept to 28th Sept to prepare for the upcoming season of the Indian Super League where they take on NorthEast United FC in the season opener on 1st October 2016 at Guwahati.
Kerala Blasters will be returning from Thailand today where they had a fantastic pre-season training winning two out of three pre-season friendlies. They were stationed there for two weeks at the Muang Thong Thani facility in Bangkok.
Kerala Blasters nudged across BBCU FC, formerly known as Sinthana which won the Thai championship 1998 (2-1) in their first pre-season friendly in Bangkok. They drew in the second game against Bangkok United FC and went on to win the third against players from Thailand’s Phrae United and BEC Tero.
FC Goa play out enthralling draw with Rio Branco AC
FC Goa came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw in an enthralling match against Rio Branco AC on a sunny afternoon on the Espirito Santo Island. After conceding twice in the opening period, Zico’s side had an uphill task in the second half. However, Rafael Coelho scored midway through the second half for his first pre-season goal to give Goa a chance in the match and Lucio duly obliged with his first goal for the club to bring the teams level.
Zico continued to employ an attacking 3-5-2 formation and persisted with a three man defence of Lucio, Gregory Arnolin and Rafael Dumas. Denzil Franco and Fulganco Cardozo were used as wing backs as Sanjay Balmuchu got his first start. Richarlyson also started alongside Sanjay with Rafael and Robin Singh leading the attack. It was a disastrous start for Zico’s men who found themselves down by a goal in only the fifth minute. Denzil conceded a free-kick just outside the area and an opposition attacker netted with ease. Things went from bad to worse in the 8th minute when Gregory went down with a muscle injury. He had to be replaced by Luciano Sobrosa. As the half petered on, the Indian side tried to get a foothold on the game. However, on the stroke of half time, a swift counter attack saw an opposition striker 1 on 1 against Laxmikant Kattimani and he duly netted to double the Brazilians’ lead.
Once again, Goa had a mountain to climb ahead of the second half. Romeo Fernandes was brought on, along with Julio César and Reinaldo in the second half. The changes seemed to work as Goa got more and more involved in the game as the half wore on. The players began to combine well and move forward with purpose. The trio of Romeo, Rafael and Reinaldo gave the attack a different dimension. Mandar Rao Dessai was brought on for Fulganco midway through the half to help out in attack. Goa finally got reward for their persistence when a beautifully weighted corner by Trindade Goncalves who replaced Richarlyson, fell to the head of Rafael who glanced the ball home to give FC Goa a fighting chance.
The pacy Goan duo of Romeo and Mandar kept the pressure up and just six minutes later, another corner lead to the equaliser. The ball from the corner was initially cleared but it fell to Sanjay who lobbed the ball over the defence superbly to Lucio who smashed home the equaliser on his second attempt after the initial shot was blocked. FC Goa then held on for the draw.
Zico's side will go on to play Brazilian heavyweights CR Flamengo in their next pre-season fixture on 22nd September. The squad will fly back to Goa on 25th September ahead of the opening ceremony of the third season of the Indian Super League in Guwahati on 1st October 2016.
Spanish forward Tato joins FC Pune City
The Rajesh Wadhawan Group and Hrithik Roshan co-owned Indian Super League club FC Pune City strengthened their forward line adding forward Jesus Tato for the 2016 edition of the league. The Spanish footballer will make his debut in the Indian Super League with this move to the Pune club.
With this addition to the club’s attacking line, CEO Gaurav Modwel felt the team’s line up now looks a formidable one. “Tato adds versatility to our frontline. He can play forward as well as on wings as per the team’s requirements. His experience of playing in the Spanish leagues means his skill sets are up there and he will be an asset for FC Pune City.”
Tato started his career with Barcelona playing for their youth team. He scored 11 goals playing for the Spanish giants ‘C’ team in his three years with them. He then moved on and played for Murcia, Albacete, Xerez, Las Palmas, Girona, Zaragoza in his senior career. Besides he also represented the Spanish U-16 and U-20 national teams.
Head coach Antonio Habas was pleased to have another ward from his homeland joining forces with him at FC Pune City. “Tato is a player with a solid work ethic and is also a thorough team player to say the least. His attacking mindset makes him a dangerous player in any position that he plays. I welcome him to his new home and hope he makes the difference he is expected to make to the side.”
Making his Indian Super League debut, Tato said he was excited at the prospect of playing the sport out of his comfort zone. “I am turning a new page in my career. Having played in Spain for most of my career, adapting to new culture, new style and different players will be a challenge I will relish and hope it will make me a better player.”
Co-owner Hrithik Roshan was delighted. “Tato is an accomplished player who will bring solidity to the team’s attacking options. I welcome him to the FC Pune City family,” said Hrithik.
Edel Bete aims for rare hat-trick in ISL
FC Pune City goalkeeper Edel Bete is aiming for a rare hat-trick not just in the Indian Super League but also probably in world football.
Bete won the inaugural edition of the Hero ISL with Atletico de Kolkata and then switched over to Chennaiyin FC where he won the title there as well under the leadership of coach Marco Materazzi. He was an important member of both title-winning teams and now having moved to FC Pune City, looks forward to their first title and his third. Coincidentally, ATK's coach for the first two seasons Antonio Habas has also moved to FC Pune City for the ISL 2016 season and this season, in a way, is a new home coming for Bete to join his first coach in ISL.
Should the Armenian goalkeeper succeed with FC Pune City, a team which has not qualified for the semi-finals in last two seasons, he will be the first player to win three successive titles with three different teams in the same league, something that no footballer probably has achieved in the past.
Bete is excited and aware of the rare feat he could possibly achieve this season.
“Yes, absolutely. I hope along with FC Pune City we are third time lucky. That’s the goal for me,” said Bete when asked whether he was aiming for a hat-trick.
“I am at a stage in my career where taking up new challenges is my motivation. Both Atletico de Kolkata and Chennaiyin FC were great experiences. I wanted to continue my pursuit for a new challenge,” said the star goalkeeper.
The former PSG goalkeeper was being targeted by a host of teams in this edition of the ISL but his decision to move to FC Pune City was influenced by coach Antonio Lopez Habas. Bete trained under Habas in the first edition and when the Spanish coach summoned him, it was hard to turn down the invitation.
“His style of coaching is something that’s made a great impression on me. Besides the club, it’s critical for a player to know who the manager would be. So having Habas along with a thoroughly professional and ambitious club like FC Pune City just made it easier to decide. Habas is someone I trust in and he told me that FC Pune City is the club to be with,” said Bete, who has represented Israeli champions Hapoel Tel Aviv from 2011-2013, multiple times.
Bete admitted he had a fantastic time with both his previous teams and is spoilt for choice when asked to pick a couple of unforgettable memories.
“The 83rd-minute save in the final to deny Kerala Blasters an advantage after which a last-minute goal by Mohammed Rafique gave us the win is something I will cherish the most from the first season. And mind you I was injured in that game and could not kick the ball with my right leg. Last season, when I was playing for Chennaiyin FC against ATK in the semi-finals, I made some crucial saves which I was happy about,” said the goalkeeper who has played for French giants PSG in the past.
“My experience in ISL has been great. Because this is a shorter league, it is much more intense and therefore being match-ready and fit all the time is a great challenge, something I have relished and want to continue doing,” said Bete.
Nobody knows about winning titles and staying fit better than Bete in the ISL. As he prepares to give FC Pune City a reason to smile for the first time, rival teams will approach this season with some trepidation.
The complete lowdown on ISL Fantasy League 2016
With Hero Indian Super League 2016 less than two weeks away, the ISL Fantasy League also makes its return after a thoroughly enjoyable, exciting and successful run during Hero ISL 2015. Last season’s ISL Fantasy League saw more than 35 thousand registrations, 25 thousand teams and multiple winners, making it a big hit with fans.
While some of the fantasy rules remain the same, there have been a few changes ahead of the new season. The locking time to finalise your team is now half an hour prior to kick-off, which essentially lets you pick your final XI after both the playing XIs have been announced.
The Hero ISL Fantasy also allows you to make up to ‘three’ free transfers at the end of every round this season as opposed to just ‘two’ during Hero ISL 2015. Additional transfers will receive a minus 2 this season instead of a minus 4. The top 5 players overall will receive prizes worth Rs 1,50,000, Rs 1,25,000, Rs 1,00,000, Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000. There will also be two individual winners at the end of each round where the winner is eligible to receive a voucher worth Rs 5,000, while the runner-up receives Rs 3,000. The winners of the eight supporters’ leagues will receive signed club memorabilia of their respective club.
Additionally, Hero ISL 2016 will also have the league’s first ever Matchday Fantasy on Facebook this season. To be eligible for prizes, all you need to do is pick three players from either of the two teams playing and write their names in the comment section of a graphic or video posted on Facebook about the fantasy.
It must be noted, however, that for the Matchday Fantasy only the first unedited entry from the user will be considered in case he or she has posted multiple entries. In case of a tie in points, the participant who posted the entry first shall win the daily prize. Furthermore, only comments on the Matchday Fantasy Post will be considered and pages on Facebook as well as fake profiles aren’t eligible for the prize.
To win a prize, participants must also have a valid postal address. It’s also mandatory to ‘LIKE’ the Indian Super League page on Facebook. Team ISL’s decision on all matters relating to or in connection with this Matchday Fantasy will be final and binding on all concerned.
Champions Chennaiyin FC receive warm welcome on home return
Indian Super League champions Chennaiyin FC returned to the city on Thursday afternoon after completing a month-long pre-season camp in Perugia, Italy.
This was the first batch of arrival from Italy with 18 Indian players and three foreigners – Eder Monteiro (Brazil), Eli Sabia (Brazil) and Dudu Omagbemi (Nigeria) – returning to the franchise’s home base along with first team assistant coach Syed Sabir Pasha.
Just like in 2015, the players received a warm welcome from over 100 passionate fans at the airport. The supporters brought flags, garlands and custom made banners and were in full voice while greeting the players with chants.
The players were overwhelmed with the grand response and delighted to finally return ‘home’ ahead of their title defence in the 2016 ISL.
Chennaiyin FC striker and 2015 ISL emerging player Jeje Lalpekhlua stated, “The SuperMachans showed today again why we have the best set of supporters in the ISL. Their support drove us to the title last season and this year too we want to make them happy and keep the trophy in Chennai.”
Chennaiyin FC’s new signing and local boy Nallappan Mohanraj added, “Signing for Chennaiyin was a dream come true and today was another special day for me as I was received at the airport by our incredible fans in my home city. We had a very good pre-season and now looking forward to playing in front of our fans at the Marina Arena.
Another new signing Dudu said, “Previously I had only heard about the great support Chennaiyin enjoys and today I experienced it. A big thank you to the fans for coming out in large numbers just to receive us. I can’t wait to go out and perform for them.”
The remaining foreign players, head coach Marco Materazzi and his Italian coaching staff will be reaching the city on Monday morning with the training commencing later that evening.
Like in 2015, Chennaiyin’s pre-season training base this year also was at Stadio Ellera, Corciano, Perugia, Italy.
CFC played four practice games against local club sides during their stay in Italy. The ISL holders played Paolo Rossi Academia twice and won the games 3-1 and 4-3 respectively. They also defeated Gualdo Casacastalda 1-0 and ASD Torgiano 4-2.
Chennaiyin start their 2016 ISL campaign with an away game against Atletico de Kolkata on October 2. Their first home game is against Delhi Dynamos at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 6.
The online ticket sales for Chennaiyin’s seven home games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium have started. There are five different categories - Rs 150, Rs 200, Rs 250, Rs 300 & Rs 500 - and can be purchased online here in.bookmyshow.com/chennaiyinfc
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