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Kolkata, Sep 3 (Ians) Dimitri Petratos scored the lone goal of the match as Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated cross-town rivals East Bengal to be crowned champions of the 132nd Durand Cup football tournament here on Sunday.

On a Super Sunday for India’s oldest football competition, Mohun Bagan, despite being reduced to 10 men, avenged their defeat from the group stage against Emami East Bengal (Eeb), winning the Kolkata derby 1-0 in the final.

Petratos struck the winner in the 71st minute after Anirudh Thapa was sent off for a second bookable offence, early in the second half.

There was nothing much to choose between the two sides save the Petratos strike, in an entertaining final at the hallowed Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Vybk), here in the city, which had close to 50,000 fans watching.

A tactical game

Both managers sprung surprises with the first eleven. Carles Cuadrat of Eeb gave Md.

New Delhi, Aug 28 (Ians) In preparation for the upcoming 49th King’s Cup taking place from September 7 to 10, the Indian senior football team is gearing up with determination. With memories of their previous trip to Thailand still fresh, Igor Stimac’s squad is eager to leave behind past disappointments and embrace a new chapter in their journey.

When India last participated in the King’s Cup in Thailand in June 2019, it was, in a sense, the beginning of a new era. After an excruciating last-minute exit from the AFC Asian Cup group stage just five months before, Stimac took charge, kicking off the next cycle for the Blue Tigers.

India have been drawn against the highest-ranked side in the competition, Iraq, in this year’s edition too. Thailand and Lebanon will contest the other semifinal. The difference this time, however, is the momentum India is carrying into the competition.

Stimac...

Bhubaneswar, June 18 (Ians) Talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri scored his 87th international goal and fellow-forward Lallianzuala Chhangte added a second as India defeated the higher-ranked Lebanon 2-0 in the final to retain the Intercontinental Cup title at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday. Both the Indian goals came in the second half of the match as the hosts ended the tournament without conceding a goal.

With a huge crowd expected to turn out to support them, head coach Igor Stimac had promised a super Sunday, and his boys did everything to make sure their coach lived up to his assurance.

With a solid 2-0 win over Lebanon, the Indian men’s senior team clinched the Intercontinental Cup, adding to the title they won in the inaugural year in 2018.

In what was the first-ever tournament for the Blue Tigers in the Odisha capital, the fans were treated to a fantastic spectacle over the course of four matches,...

Bhubaneswar, June 15 (Ians) The Indian senior men’s football team played out a goalless draw against Lebanon in the final group match of the Intercontinental Cup at the Kalinga Stadium, here on Thursday.

In an evenly-matched contest for most parts, both sides had opportunities to win the game, but neither could find the edge on another humid evening in the Odisha capital.

Lebanon were already confirmed to be India’s opponents in Sunday’s final before the game kicked off as Vanuatu beat Mongolia 1-0 earlier in the day.

Head coach Igor Stimac once again made a flurry of changes to the starting eleven from the previous game, most notably resting Sunil Chhetri, who netted the match-winner against Vanuatu, to give Ashique Kuruniyan his first appearance of the tournament. With the same back-line reinstated from the opening match against Mongolia, goalscorers Sahal Abdul Samad and Lallianzuala Chhangte also returned to the line-up.

Manjeri (Kerala), April 15 (Ians) Chennaiyin Fc played out a goalless draw against Churchill Brothers in their second Group D match of the Hero Super Cup 2023 at the Payyanad Stadium here on Saturday.

Chennaiyin, who came into the match after a win against NorthEast United Fc, were dominant from the get-go. They made a spirited start and kept piling the pressure on the opposition defenders with their aggressive approach.

They had 61 per cent possession and several goal-scoring opportunities, which also included seven corners, but couldn’t manage to convert any in the first half.

One such chance came as early as in the sixth minute when the Anirudh Thapa-led side had almost opened the scoring off a corner but the opposition defenders, somehow, managed to clear the ball. The last match’s hero Aakash Sangwan also came into the picture when his close-range header missed the target by a whisker...

Chennai, Feb 24 (Ians) Goals from skipper Anirudh Thapa, Rahim Ali Kwame Karikari and Sajal Bag powered Chennaiyin Fc to an action-packed 4-3 victory against NorthEast United Fc in their final league game of the Indian Super League (Isl) 2022-23 season at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday.

Rahim Ali (3rd), Kwame Karikari (56th), Anirudh Thapa (62nd) and Sajal Bag (90+4th) were on target for the hosts while Wilmar Jordan (51st and 80th), Parthib Gogoi (74th) scored for the Highlanders.

Chennaiyin, who came into the game on the back of two consecutive victories started the game on the front foot and took the lead after just 3 minutes when Julius Duker’s incisive pass over the top was slotted home calmly by Rahim Ali. The hosts then controlled the entire first half and went into the break leading the score-line.

Six minutes after halftime, the visitors equalised against the run of...

Chennai, Feb 23 (Ians) Chennaiyin Fc Head coach Thomas Brdaric is looking forward to his side’s final league fixture of the Indian Super League 2022-23 and wants the team to end the season on a positive note when they take on NorthEast United at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, here on Friday.

Brdaric’s men have won two league games on the trot and are looking to continue their momentum in front of their home fans. The team will draw confidence from their recent form and also their last league meeting against the Highlanders earlier in the season when the players were at the top of their game and secured a thumping 7-3 win in Guwahati.

“We want to inflict a defeat on them tomorrow in front of our fans. We want to continue our way and tomorrow’s match is a challenge for us to face. Yes, we know NorthEast...

New Delhi, Feb 21 (Ians) Experienced pugilists Shiva Thapa and Hussamuddin began their campaign at 74th Strandja Memorial International Boxing Tournament on a winning note in Sofia, Bulgaria on Tuesday.

According to information received here, Shiva Thapa (63.5 kg) faced Frederik Jensen Lundgaard in the round of 32 match and started the bout with an aggressive approach. He displayed swift movements and landed some quick jabs on his opponent to gain an early lead in the first round.

The second round also went the Indian boxer’s way as he dominated his opponent. Thapa used his experience and top-notch skills to dodge his opponent’s attacks. He maintained a safe distance in the third round and only went into attacking mode when there was a clear opening in Lundgaard’s defence. The difference between their experience was evident in the scoreline as Thapa won the match by 5-0 and progressed into the next round of the tournament.

New Delhi, Feb 20 (Ians) Nishant Dev, the 2022 National champion, kicked off his campaign with a stellar victory at the Strandja Memorial International Boxing Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria on Monday.

Squaring off against Wang Peicheng of China in the 71kg bout, Nishant started by showcasing his swift movement and efficiently dodging his opponent’s attacks. The southpaw smartly shifted gears as the bout progressed and utilised his attacking prowess to keep Peicheng at bay.

The Haryana-born boxer was in cruise control throughout the bout, landing powerful, accurate punches to assert dominance over his Chinese counterpart and securing a 5-0 victory by unanimous decision. He will now face the 2020 Olympic Games bronze medallist Aidan Walsh of Ireland in the Round of 16 on Tuesday.

In the other bout of the day, Sunita went down fighting against Patricio Shera Ma of the USA in the 54kg category, suffering a 0:5 defeat.

Later tonight, five...

Chennai, Jan 20 (Ians) Chennaiyin Fc skipper Anirudh Thapa on Friday expressed the team’s desire to claim full points in their remaining four home games in the quest to secure a playoffs berth in the Hero Indian Super League (Isl) 2022-23.

Currently placed eighth on the standings with 16 points, Chennaiyin are just four points behind sixth-placed Fc Goa. The team will be playing four of their remaining seven matches in front of their home fans, with the first one scheduled on Saturday against Atk Mohun Bagan at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.

“It’s important to be at the Top-6. I think those [four matches at home] will be crucial because if we grab all the points at home, then it will be a plus point for us. Playing away against Goa and Bengaluru will be difficult because they are also in the race, and they won’t let it go,” the team...

Hisar, Dec 31 (Ians) The 2019 World Championships bronze medalist Manish Kaushik and Railways Sports Promotion Board (Rspb) duo of Rohit Tokas and Sachin put up sensational displays to start their campaign on a winning note on the first day of the 6th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championships here on Saturday.

Kaushik (63.5kg) was up against Prabhat Diwedi of Madhya Pradesh and living up to his name, he made lightwork of his opponent. He was on the frontfoot since the get go and after dominating the first two rounds, the bout came to an end after the referee stopped contest (RSC) towards the end of the third round. Kaushik will take on Sandeep Doni of Andhra Pradesh in the round-of-16 bout on Tuesday

The 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Tokas (67kg) faced Rahul of Uttarakhand in his tournament opener. Being at his attacking best, Tokas overpowered his opponent by utilising his quick...

New Delhi, Nov 12 (Ians) Star Indian boxer Shiva Thapa capped off India’s magnificent campaign by clinching a historic silver medal as the country concluded the 2022 Asbc Asian Elite Boxing Championships with 12 medals in Amman, Jordan on Saturday.

This is Thapa’s third silver and sixth medal overall in the prestigious tournament, which makes him the most successful male pugilist in the event’s history. His previous two silver medals came in 2017 and 2021. He also clinched the title in the 2013 edition and secured bronze medals in 2015 and 2019.

Up against Abdullaev Ruslan of Uzbekistan in the men’s 63.5kg final, Thapa made a cautious start and looked to grow in confidence as the bout progressed. However, his quest for a second gold in the Asian Championships was halted by an unfortunate injury that he suffered to his right knee in the second round of the bout. With the Guwahati-born boxer in no condition to continue,...

Chennai, Nov 11 (Ians) Former champions Chennaiyin Fc will be keen to carry forward their winning form when they host Mumbai City at home in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday for an Indian Super League (Isl) 2022-23 clash.

The Anirudh Thapa-led home side will look to carry forward the confidence from their previous fixture, coming into the match with an away win against East Bengal Fc. On the other hand, Mumbai City have travelled to Chennai after sharing points with Atk Mohun Bagan.

Chennaiyin head coach Thomas Brdaric said his side is wary of the threat Mumbai pose and urged his players to put pressure on the visitors in order to take advantage.

“Mumbai is a big club. They have good strengths and qualities. We want to give them stress so that they will make mistakes and not make good decisions. And we’ve to take that to our advantage.

New Delhi, Nov 7 (Ians) India had another good start as seasoned boxer Sumit advanced to the semifinals and assured the country of another medal in the 2022 Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan on Monday.

Sumit defeated Thailand’s Borworn Kadamduan 3-2 by split decision in a 75kg weight class quarterfinal bout in the elite boxing tournament.

There was a setback too as compatriot Sachin suffered a 1-4 defeat against Kazakhstan’s Aslanbek Shymbergenov in the quarterfinals bout in the 71kg weight division.

Another boxer Lakshya Chahar suffered a 0-5 defeat against Uzbekistan’s Aslonov Odiljon in the 80kg quarterfinals bout in the capital city of Jordan on Monday.

Two other Naveen Kumar in 92kg and Narender in 92+ weight division will also take the ring on Monday in quarterfinal bouts, hoping to add to India’s medal count in the Continental event.

On Sunday, seasoned Shiva Thapa added a historic...

New Delhi, Nov 6 (Ians) Shiva Thapa added a historic 6th Asian Championships medal to his belt with a commanding victory and joined Mohammed Hussamuddin and Govind Kumar Sahani in the semifinals at the 2022 Asbc Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan on Sunday.

Thapa (63.5kg) was contesting the quarterfinals against Minsu Choi of South Korea and began the bout effectively, using his quick feet and powerful jabs to assert control over his opponent. The Indian boxer enhanced his attacking dominance as the game progressed and had Choi on the ropes for the majority of the match.

The match ended in a 4:1 victory for Thapa who now becomes the most successful male boxer in the Asian Championships with 6 competition medals to his name.

Two-time Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Hussamuddin (57kg) was up against South Korea’s Haengseok Lee in the quarterfinal bout. The South Korean started on the front foot in the first round,...

Kolkata, Nov 4 (Ians) Chennaiyin Fc walked away with three points for the second time this season as they beat East Bengal Fc 1-0 in the Indian Super League (Isl) here on Friday.

Vafa Hakhamaneshi scored the only goal of the match in the 69th minute, not long before he was sent off. Both sides finished with ten men as East Bengal’s Sarthak Golui was also sent off in the 75th minute.

The hosts were unchanged as head coach Stephen Constantine fielded the same XI that started in the Kolkata Derby last week. Chennaiyin Fc made just one change, with Debjit Majumder returning in goal after serving his suspension. The major concern for the visitors was the absence of Kwame Karikari from the squad due to an injury.

Two minutes into the game, Jordan O’Doherty found himself in space inside the Chennaiyin box. His cross was blocked by Fallou Diagne...

Amman (Jordan), Nov 4 (Ians) Five-time Asian Championships medallist Shiva Thapa along with Sachin and Amit Kumar progressed to the quarterfinals of the Asbc Asian Elite Boxing Championships here on Friday.

Thapa (63.5kg) was up against Mongolia’s Byambatsogt Tuguldur in the pre-quarterfinal bout. Both boxers went toe-to-toe from the beginning with their aggressive approach and landed some heavy blows on each other making it a very close contest.

In the end, it was the seasoned Indian boxer’s experience and quick movement that helped him prevail over the opponent and secure a 3-2 victory by split decision in this fiercely-contested bout.

Kumar (67kg) faced Chinese Taipei’s Zheng-Rong Huang and the Indian was dominant throughout the game, showcasing high technical ability and tremendous confidence as he cruised through to the next round with a unanimous verdict.

Sachin (71kg) went down in the first round against Thailand’s Peerapat Yeasungnoen but...

New Delhi, Nov 4 (Ians) Five-time Asian Championships medallist Shiva Thapa rode on his experience to score a hard-fought win and progressed to the quarterfinals of the Asbc Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan on Friday.

Thapa (63.5kg) was up against Mongolia’s Byambatsogt Tuguldur in the pre-quarterfinal bout. Both boxers went toe-to-toe from the beginning with their aggressive approach and landed some heavy blows on each other, making it a very close contest.

In the end, it was the seasoned Indian boxer’s experience and quick movement that helped him prevail over his opponent and secure a 3:2 victory by split decision in this fiercely-contested bout.

Thapa will now take on the winner of the bout between Haidara Alasaly and Minsu Choi in the quarterfinals.

Later on Friday night, Ananta Chopade (54kg) and Etash Khan (60kg) will be in action against Japan’s Tanaka Shogo and Thailand’s Khunatip...

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Sep 24 (Ians) The Indian men’s football team began the three-nation Hung Thinh friendly tournament with a 1-1 draw against Singapore at the Thong Nhat Stadium, here on Saturday.

India, who rested experienced central defender Sandesh Jhingan, went behind in the 37th minute but came back strongly within six minutes to level the score through Ashique Kuruniyan. While dishing out a decent show in the midfield, Igor Stimac’s boys made some intelligent moves on both the wings, but couldn’t break the defensive shackles of the rivals.

After a cautious start by both teams, Singapore were the first to have a crack at the rival goal. In the 14th minute, Ikhsan Fandi had a clear view of the goal, but ever-alert central defender Anwar Ali came to the rescue with a neat clearance.

Fandi was certainly the most active force in almost every Singapore...

New Delhi, Sep 15 (Ians) Indian national football team midfielder Anirudh Thapa is looking forward to playing in front of packed stands in the upcoming Hero Indian Super League (Isl) as it welcomes back fans across stadiums after a gap of two years.

The Chennaiyin Fc captain revealed the fans were a significant miss over the last two seasons. With India’s premier football league returning to the 10 venues across the country, players are thrilled to have the support back from the stands.

“I think the fans are excited and so are we. They will be back after two years. We missed them and it will be great to meet them and entertain them. Having fans will create an amazing atmosphere in this season’s Isl for sure,” said Thapa.

“Last two years have been tough for us. I can recall the packed stands in Chennai with the people of the...

Kolkata, Sep 11 (Ians) The Mumbai City Fc (McFc) got the better of Chennaiyin Fc (Cfc) 5-3 in a thrilling third quarterfinal of the 131st IndianOil Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Vybk) here on Sunday, thanks to a Greg Stewart hat-trick and pair of goals from Lallianzuala Chhangte.

Croatian striker Petar Sliskovic, Jockson Dhas and Rahim Ali scored for Chennaiyin. The match was decided in extra time. The Islanders, therefore, move on to play the first semifinal at the same venue against Mohammedan Sporting on September 14.

The first half was cagey at best with both teams trying to get a measure of the other. There were a few shots mostly from distance and some from inside the box but no golden opportunities to score as such. Among the incidents, Cfc’s Ghanaian striker Kwame Karikari got injured and had to be replaced by Rahim Ali in the 19th minute of the game.

Kolkata, Sep 10 (Ians) After making a slow start, Chennaiyin Fc gathered pace to qualify for the knockouts of the Durand Cup 2022 and will now aim to continue their good show when they face Mumbai City Fc in the quarterfinals at the Salt Lake Stadium, here on Sunday.

After a draw and a loss in their first two games, Chennaiyin made a strong comeback in the tournament. They beat I-League sides Trau Fc and Neroca Fc 4-1 and 2-0 respectively to finish second in Group C and qualify for the quarter-finals.

Spearheaded by captain Anirudh Thapa, Chennaiyin Fc have scored nine goals so far and they look menacing every time they get the ball in the opposition box.

Chennaiyin will know that former Isl champions Mumbai City will be no easy task even though they lost their last match against East Bengal.

Mumbai City have topped their group and qualified for the last-eight stage.

Imphal, Sep 5 (Ians) Chennaiyin Fc (Cfc) took their place in the quarterfinals of the 131st Indian Oil Durand Cup, with a comprehensive 2-0 victory over local favourites Neroca Fc (NFC), at the Khuman Lampak Stadium here on Monday.

The Group C game was the 40th and final of the Group stages, with the quarterfinals scheduled in Kolkata between September 9 to 12. Anirudh Thapa scored one and assisted in the other, to do the star turn for Cfc in what was a game Cfc could not lose and Neroca had to win, to survive in Asia’s oldest football tournament.

Chennaiyin looked the better side throughout and definitely had the more quality fire-power at this stage of the tournament, to come through quite comfortably in the end, in what was a pressure game for them in front of a boisterous home crowd.

It helped Tomas Brdaric’s side that the goal came early.

Imphal, Aug 26 (Ians) Reigning Indian Super League (Isl) champions Hyderabad Fc bounced back from going a goal behind to beat ten-man Chennaiyin Fc 3-1 in a Group C match of Durand Cup 2022 at the Khuman Lampak Stadium, here on Friday.

Anirudh Thapa handed Chenaniyin Fc the lead just two minutes before half-time as Hyderabad Fc rode on Ogbeche’s brace and Joao Victor’s strike to take full points as Chennaiyin Fc’s Fallou Diagne was sent off in the 54th minute.

The game was a cagey affair in the first half an hour. Chennaiyin Fc then began to enjoy a bit of momentum that resulted in the opening goal.

Thapa broke the deadlock just two minutes before the breather as he pulled off a superb finish to beat Hyderabad custodian Laxmikant Kattimani after being fed by an inch-perfect cross-field diagonal pass from Sajal Bag.

After the change of sides,...

Imphal, Aug 20 (Ians) Army Red held Chennaiyin Fc 2-2 in a Group C match of the Durand Cup 2022 at the Khuman Lampak Stadium, here on Saturday.

For Chennaiyin, Julius Duker (89th) and Edwin Vanaspaul scored late (90+4th) while L. Khongsai (55th) and Liton Shil (90+6th) scored for the Armymen.

Chennaiyin Fc fielded eight new players in their starting line-up — Ajith Kumar, Fallou Diagne, Aakash Sangwan, Duker, Sajal Bag, Jiteshwar Suingh, Jockson Dhas, and Petar Sliskovic — while skipper Anirudh Thapa, goalkeeper Debjit Majumdar and Narayan Das were the old faces.

After a slow start, Thomas Brdaric’s men eased into the game and dominated proceedings for most of it. Croatian forward Sliskovic was played through by Jiteshwor but his shot sailed over the crossbar.

Thapa then made a lunging effort right at the brink of half-time but the Army Red custodian showed good reflexes to deny the two-time Isl Champion as...