The Hindu : Sport / Football : NFL kicks off on Jan. 10

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Sunday, Jan 08, 2006

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NFL kicks off on Jan. 10

Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI: The 10th edition of the National Football League (NFL), will kick-off on January 10 with East Bengal taking on Mohammedan Sporting Club in Kolkata. On the same day, Goan clubs Dempo and Sporting Clube de Goa will meet at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, in another first-round match.

The NFL, now rechristened ONGC Cup NFL, will be played in two phases — January 10 to February 9 and March 12 to May 14 — to help the clubs to release India players for the Asia Cup qualifiers. This was announced by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Priya Ranjan Das Munsi here on Thursday.

With four clubs from Goa, three from Kolkata, two from Mumbai and the Phagwara-based JCT Mills in the premier league, the NFL matches will be played in Kolkata, Goa, Mumbai and Ludhiana.

Live telecast

Zee Sports will telecast live most of the matches played at Goa and Kolkata.

"We have stationed two broadcast units in Kolkata and Goa with 12 cameras catching the action at each venue," said Himanshu Mody, business head, Zee Sports. The sports channel will telecast 45 of the 90 NFL matches live.

Zee Sports has also lined up international production team including legendary football commentator John Helm and former England international Russell Osman for doing the commentary.

The NFL schedule (first phase): Round 1: Jan. 10: Dempo vs. Sporting Clube de Goa, Goa; East Bengal vs. Mohammedan Sporting Club, Kolkata; Jan. 11: Mohun Bagan vs. Mahindra United, Kolkata; Fransa-Pax vs. JCT, Goa; Air-India vs. Salgaocar, Mumbai.

Round 2: Jan. 14: Dempo vs. Fransa-Pax, Goa; Mohun Bagan vs. Mohammedan Sporting, Kolkata; Jan. 15: Air India vs. Mahindra United, Mumbai, East Bengal vs. Salgaocar, Kolkata; Sporting Clube de Goa vs. JCT, Goa.

Round 3: Jan. 17: Mahindra United vs. Dempo, Mumbai; Jan.18: East Bengal vs. Fransa-Pax, Kolkata; Sporting Clube de Goa vs. Air-India, Goa; Jan. 19: Mohun Bagan vs. JCT, Kolkata; Jan. 20: Mohammedan Sporting vs. Salgaocar, Kolkata.

Round 4: Jan. 21: Dempo vs. Air-India, Goa; Jan. 22: Mohun Bagan vs. East Bengal, Kolkata; Jan. 23: Mahindra United vs. JCT, Mumbai; Mohammedan Sporting vs. Sporting Clube de Goa, Kolkata; Jan. 24: Salgaocar vs. Fransa-Pax, Goa.

Round 5: Jan. 26: Dempo vs. Mohun Bagan, Goa; Air India vs. East Bengal, Mumbai; Jan. 27: Mohammedan Sporting vs. JCT, Kolkata; Jan. 28: Sporting Clube de Goa vs. Salgaocar, Goa; Jan. 29: Mahindra United vs. Fransa-Pax, Mumbai.

Round 6: Jan. 30: Mohammedan Sporting vs. Dempo, Kolkata; Jan. 31: Sporting Clube de Goa vs. Mohun Bagan, Goa; JCT vs. East Bengal, Ludhiana; Feb. 1: Salgaocar vs. Mahindra United, Mumbai ; Feb. 2: Fransa-Pax vs. Air-India, Goa.

Round 7: Feb. 3: JCT vs. Dempo, Ludhiana; Feb. 4: Salgaocar vs. Mohun Bagan, Goa; Feb. 5: Sporting Clube de Goa vs. Fransa-Pax, Goa; East Bengal vs. Mahindra United, Mumbai; Feb. 6: Air-India vs. Mohammedan Sporting, Mumbai.

Round 8: Feb. 8: Dempo vs. Salgaocar, Goa; Feb. 9: JCT vs. Air-India, Ludhiana; Fransa-Pax vs. Mohun Bagan, Goa; Mahindra United vs. Mohammedan Sporting, Mumbai; East Bengal vs. Sporting Clube de Goa, Kolkata.

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