Who will participate in the 2012 Nehru Cup?

The All India Football Federation is set to organise the 2012 edition of the Nehru Cup from August 23 to September 2 at the Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Besides hosts India four other nations will take part in the Nehru Cup which will be held three decades after the first edition in 1982. Also it will be part of the AIFF celebrating its Platinum Jubilee (75th anniversary).

But there is confusion on who will participate in the tournament this year with invited country football associations telling their respective national media that they will participate after accepting the AIFF offer. The only thing which is clear is that the AIFF is preferring to have two African and two Asian sides joining India in a five team competition.

The AIFF had send out more then 10 invitations across Asia and Africa. After it became clear that Nigeria wouldn't like to take part, Cameroon and Kenya were approached with Kenya having since accepted the invitation while Cameroon had given positive feedback about an interest to participate. Another nation doing the rounds as possible back-up is Senegal.

Meanwhile within Asia the nations of Afghanistan, Jordan, Maldives, the Philippines, Syria and Thailand are said to be amongst the nations approached with Jordan, Maldives, the Philippines and Syria all willing to participate.

Currently the AIFF seems to favour Cameroon and Kenya plus Syria and Jordan taking part in the tournament. But the AIFF will soon have to take a final decision on who it would like to see participate in the tournament, so the search for a title sponsor and television broadcaster can go ahead in full flow, then on the 75th anniversary it wouldn't show Indian football in good light without one of these or even both.

MUPC Under-15 India-leg: Chandigarh Football Academy champions!

The Chandigarh Football Academy are the champions of the seventh edition of the Indian-leg of the Manchester United Premier Cup Under-15 tournament. In the final they beat PIFA from Mumbai 2-0 in extra-time through two goals from Samuel Lalmuanpuia at the Sesa Football Academy ground in Sirsaim, Goa.

Chandigarh Football Academy will now go on to represent India in the Southeast Asia qualifiers in Indonesia later this month to face teams from the host nation, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore with the winner of that tournament getting a place at the global finals in Manchester this summer.

This year the Indian-leg of the Manchester United Premier Cup Under-15 tournament was held under a new format. There were state qualifiers and then a North-East-Northeast Zone qualifiers played in Jamshedpur while the South-West teams played their championship in Goa. While Chandigarh Football Academy won the Jamshedpur-leg, it was PIFA who won in Goa.

"Over the years, Nike MUPC is serving as a platform to identify young talent. This is at the core of our brand to promote the sport," Nike marketing director Avinash Pant told the media.

Former India captain Baichung Bhutia, who was present at the finals, said the tournament will continue to be a platform for young footballers to showcase their talent and also for clubs to scout young talent.

AFC Under-19 Women's Cup: India to host qualifying group

The official draw for the AFC U-19 Women's Championship 2013 Qualifying Rounds 1 and 2 were conducted at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur today.

In the first round there are 12 participating nations. The eight participating Member Associations in the Central, South and West regions were drawn into two groups of four teams each, while the East/ASEAN zones already consist of Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Myanmar and the Philippines.

Group A would be host by India besides whom Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh make-up the group. Group B consists of Jordan, Iran, Tajikistan and Palestine with Jordan playing hosts for this group with both the qualifying groups set to be played between October 19 to 27, 2012.

Each group shall play a one-round league, where each team in the group shall play one match against every other team and the top two teams from each group (total six teams) will proceed to Qualifying Round 2 which will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam between December 1-9, 2012. For Round 2, seventh-ranked Thailand have been drawn into Group A while Vietnam, ranked sixth, into Group B.


THE GROUPINGS

ROUND 1
Group A: India, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh
Group B: Jordan, Iran, Tajikistan, Palestine
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Philippines

ROUND 2
Group A: Thailand, Team Ranked 4, Team Ranked 5, Team Ranked 8
Group B: Vietnam, Team Ranked 3, Team Ranked 6, Team Ranked 7

Finally a home game tonight

India is finally to play a home international after more then a year. After Saturday's loss to Thailand the two sides meet again tonight at Delhi's Ambedkar Stadium. Incidentally the last match was last years 'ONGC' Nehru Cup final against Syria on August 31 which India won on penalties at the same venue, Bob's preferred ground in India.

India is set to use the same starting eleven as on Saturday. Subrata Pal will once more start in goal with Surkumar Singh, Anwar, Gouramangi Singh and Mahesh Gawli as the back four; Climax Lawrence and N.P. Pradeep in central midfield with Steven Dias and Anthony Pereira on the wings; while Sunil Chhetri and Mohammed Rafi upfront. Climax will once more lead the team onto the pitch in the absence of Baichung Bhutia.

Bob had considered of bringing Renedy Singh in place of Climax, but the Manipuri is out injured and once more it is a hamstring problem. The only other player injured at the moment is wing back Samir Naik, otherwise the squad is fit and maybe we will get a glimpse of Baichung back in action, but one will have to see.

The match is set to kick-off at 18.30 IST and it will be shown LIVE on Zee Sports!

Thailand beat India by a lone goal

Sarayoot Chikamdee's goal gave Thailand a 1-0 win against India in the first of the two friendlies between the two sides at the Yamaha Stadium in Nonthaburi, outside of Bangkok. The two sides will face each other again on upcoming Wednesday at Delhi's Ambedkar Stadium.

India coach Bob Houghton brought the expected side with only one change as experienced Mahesh Gawli replaced N.S. Manju in the left back position. And in the absence of regular captain Baichung Bhutia, Climax Lawrence had the honour of leading the team in the friendly.

Thailand looked a little bit more polished in their approach and they did have the better chances in the game. The first chance of the match was Thailand's in the 4th minute when Teerasil Dangda's shot hit the Indian crossbar with Subrata Pal beaten. And the Thais initially kept up the pressure as India found the going tough in the hot and humid conditions. It meant a lot of work for Subrata and the men infront of him Surkumar, Anwar, Mangi and Mahesh as Thailand kept up the pressure with India not find a way to stop the constant attacks. But towards the end of the first session things got more even and India suddenly also had their chances to go ahead. First a couple of Steven Dias free kicks didn't cause any problems to the Thais and then on the stroke of half time the ball somehow travelled to an unmarked Sunil Chhetri, whose shot from inside the box hits the crossbar and goes out. It remained goalless at the break.

After resumption a much more open game developed with still the Thais being the better of the two sides as both teams looked for their first goal and after the hour mark the Thais again had more of the game with Anwar and Subrata having to come to their teams rescue a few times. Subrata's best save of the day came in the 65th minute when a cross from Teerasil Dangda is headed goalwards by striker Sarayoot Chikamdee, but India's No.1 somehow got his hands to the ball for a sensational save as he stirs the ball over the crossbar. On the other side India had a good chance to take the lead in the 68th minute when substitute Clifford Miranda played the ball into the middle for Mohammed Rafi, but the debutants shot is blocked by the Thai keeper Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool. And then in the 73rd minute the Thais score the winner after a good build-up on the right, the ball comes to striker Sarayoot Chikamdee, who turns and places the ball into the far corner of the net with Subrata unable to get to it with his outstretched hands. It is the time for substitutions and this hampers the flow of the game with a lot of lost balls on both sides, but Thailand remain the more dangerous side as they have late chances to double their score. The match ends 1-0 for Thailand and India has a chance to reverse the result on Wednesday in Delhi when the two sides meet again for another friendly.


Match stats

Goals: 1-0 Sarayoot Chikamdee (73').

Thailand
18-Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool; 20-Panupong Wongsa, 21-Surajit Jantakul (12-Ponlawat Wangkahad), 2-Theeratorn Boonmatan, 4-Chonlatit Jantakam; 19-Phichitphong Choeichiu, 7-Datsakorn Thonglao , 8-Suchao Nuntum, 11-Rangsan Viwatchaichok; 9-Sarayoot Chikamdee, 10-Teerasil Dangda (74' 25-Pipat Thonkanya)
Substitutes: 1-Kawin Thamsatchanan, 3-Keerati Keawsombat, 5-Suttinin Phukom, 13-Ronnachai Rangsiyo, 14-Terrathep Winthoi, 15-Kabfah Boonmatoon, 16-Peter Läng, 17-Wichaya Dechmitr, 22-Kraikitti Keawsombut, 23-Surachet Ngamtip, 24-Anawin Jujeen

INDIA
1-Subrata Pal; 17-Irungbam Surkumar Singh, 5-Anwar, 19-Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh, 14-Mahesh Gawli; 23-Steven Benedic Dias (66' 25-Clifford Miranda), 7-Naduparambil Pappachan Pradeep (80' 27-Mehrajuddin Wadoo), 30-Climax Lawrence (80' 8-Potsangbam Renedy Singh), 28-Anthony Pereira; 11-Sunil Chhetri, 26-M. Mohammed Rafi
Substitutes: 24-Subhasish Roy Choudhury, 3-N.S.Manju, 9-Abhishek Yadav, 18-Sushil Kumar Singh, 22-Syed Rahim Nabi

Thailand vs India: Finally an international friendly

The wait is over. India will later today play their first international friendly match in over a year when they face hosts Thailand at the Yamaha Stadium in Bangkok. And this match marks the next stage of India's preparations for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup after the two month long preparatory camp in Portugal.

India first face Thailand in Bangkok today, then we host the Thais next Wednesday at Delhi's Ambedkar Stadium and coach Bob Houghton will thereafter know a little more where his team stands four month's before the tournament. We now enter the phase were Team India will play a number of international friendlies to prepare itself for the tougher assignments ahead.

Thailand is ranked 104th in the latest FIFA world rankings, 34 places ahead of our own India. The Thais are coached by former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson and he has called-up a mixed squad of experienced and young talents to face India over the two matches. Thailand just about missed to quality for the Asian Cup, so are focusing on the Asian Games in November. And that front it makes sense that Robson has called-up some of his younger player.

The 30 member Indian squad is not fully fit. Captain Baichung Bhutia is set to start on the bench as he isn't fully fit for a 90 minute match after his thyroid problems. Stand-in captain Renedy Singh isn't fit either after viral fever, while Samir Naik and Baljit Singh Sahni aren't fit as well. This means that Climax Lawrence is set to lead the team.

The likely first eleven is set to be the strongest available eleven. It would see Subrata Pal in goal; Surkumar Singh, Anwar, Gouramangi Singh and N.S. Manju in defence; Steven Dias on the right and Anthony on the left wing with Climax Lawrence and N.P. Pradeep in central midfield; while Sunil Chhetri will have Mohammed Rafi as his strike partner in the absence of Baichung. And for Rafi it would be his official international debut. A remarkable development the now former Mahindra United striker has gone through over the last year.


In good news for Indian football fans my friend Chris Punnakkattu Daniel is going to have LIVE UPDATES on his personal site chrispd.de . Go to www.chrispd.de/news/20100904.php .
The match is set to kick-off at 18.00 local time (16.30 IST / 13.00 CET) .