Second Division Final Rounds start as two teams aim promotion to I-League

Two ecstatic matches took place today.

I-League 2 or Second Division League, which is the third division of Indian Football, has entered into its final rounds, whose completion will then give us the two teams, who will gain promotion from the Second Division into the I-League. The decision was made by the League’s committee in January, and gave a number of clubs the opportunity to climb the ranks of club football in India.

The Group Stages of the 2022-23 Second Division League drew to an end on Saturday, April 29, 2023. Five teams - Delhi FC, Ambernath United Atlanta FC, FC Bengaluru United, United Sports Club and Shillong Lajong FC - have qualified for the Final Round which will be played between May 6-26.

The five teams will now play in a round robin format, where all teams will play against the each other twice. At the end of all the games, the top two teams with the most points, will get promoted into the I-League. In case two teams are level on points, the various tie breakers will be applied.

The five teams’ road to qualification

The league consists of a total 19 teams, 15 of which had been divided into groups of five, and one group had only four teams. All teams played twice against their respective group opponents, at the end of which Delhi FC, Ambernath United Atlanta FC, FC Bengaluru United and United Sports Club emerged as the table toppers. Shillong Lajong on the other hand, finished as the best runners-up, and were given a place in the final rounds.

The first two games of the final rounds have already been played on the 6th of May, with Shillong Lajong getting a 2-1 win over United Sports Club, and FC Bengaluru United getting a slender 1-0 triumph over Delhi FC.