The Hindu : Sport / Football : Dempo meets SBT

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Dempo meets SBT

Principal Correspondent

KOLKATA: Squeezed between the two phases of the I-League, Federation Cup — the premier inter-club knockout tournament of the country — is being treated as a breather by most of the teams that have gone through the rigours of playing the first phase of the I-League in the last two months.

So, when Dempo takes on State Bank of Travancore in the opening match of 30th edition of the tournament on Thursday, the former is likely to omit many familiar names from the team list. For SBT, which has been relegated from I-League, the Federation Cup assumes a lot of importance.

But there are only three other teams outside the current I-League roster to give company to SBT. They are the qualifiers Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Oil India and New Delhi Heroes.

Causing more confusion

What is causing more confusion is the new-league-cum-knock-out format. The teams feel that the tournament has lost much of its character with the incorporation of the group league system. The four winners of the group league will play the semifinals, which also starts the knockout phase.

Dempo, a former champion, did not seem to commit much in terms of performance when coach Armando Colaco informed about resting at least three of his regulars. With a new law allowing only two foreigners per side, the teams have been forced to try new combinations. Dempo has left out striker Mboyo Iyomi while its other forward, Ranty Martins is complaining about a hamstring problem.

Injury worries

The team will be missing the services of two seasoned men in its defence and midfield with Samir Naik and Nicolau Borges nursing injuries. The teams will have to make fresh adjustments to overcome the challenge of doing consistently well in the new group league format.

There are four teams from the host city, defending champion East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting and Chirag United SC who are expected to make the most of the home advantage. But in terms of the teams’ showing in the I-League, Mohun Bagan is the only side which has looked in good form.

The groupings: Group ‘A’: Dempo SC, Chirag United, Mumbai FC and SBT.

Group ‘B’: Mahindra United, Churchill Brothers, Mohammedan Sporting and HAL SC. Group ‘C’: East Bengal, JCT Mills, Sporting Clube de Goa and New Delhi Heroes.

Group ‘D’: Mohun Bagan, Vasco SC, Air-India and OIL.

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