I-League 2021-22 season begins with three games in opening day

The I-League kicks off today at the Mohun Bagan stadium at 2 PM (IST).

With the Hero I-League 2021-22 season set to kick-off on boxing day, we have a look at the opening fixture of the tournament, where one of the high-flyers of last year, Tiddim Road Athletic United (TRAU FC) will come up against the young Indian Arrows.

Going into the game, both teams were in good spirits with the festive period surrounding us. However, they did not give anything away before the start of the season in their respective pre-match press conferences.

Speaking ahead of the game, TRAU head coach Nandkumar Singh said, “Compared to last year, most players have not been retained but the motivation is very high. The players are eager to retain the rank we achieved last year. My coaching methods remain the same and we hope we can achieve similar or better results.”

When asked about tomorrow’s opponents, Singh was full of praise for the young Arrows team. “Indian Arrows is always a very good side, a very talented side, with some of the best coaches in India. It will be a tough match and we will try to win. Our aim is always to win the first match so that we achieve some momentum and motivation,” he said.

As for Indian Arrows coach Shanmugam Venkatesh, he has set the bar higher this season for the lads in his team. “In our last season, the expectation was different. We had a month’s time to prepare and we know how difficult it was for all the players and our boys. The team is really young and it is a huge challenge. They look sharp and we are very confident this year and we can see a lot of changes in the team,” enthused Venkatesh.

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Coach Venkatesh is looking forward to the start of the new season and how it is going to shape them for their future endeavours. “Our aim is to prepare these boys for the upcoming international matches. As each and every game that passes by, the players are gaining more game time which is most important,” said Venkatesh.

The Hero I-League kicks off today at the Mohun Bagan stadium at 2 PM (IST).

Gokulam Kerala Vs Churchill Brothers

Meanwhile, it’s the battle of two of last season’s title race protagonists as Churchill Brothers FC take on defending champions Gokulam Kerala FC on the opening day of the 2021-22 Hero I-League at the Kalyani Stadium.

The Malabarians edged out the Red Machines by the narrowest of margins, on the head-to-head tie-breaker, to clinch their first ever I-League title. Aiming to bring the trophy home once again, the Goan side have assembled a quality squad under returning head coach Petre Gigiu. The Romanian was in-charge during the 2018-19 season, leading Churchill to a fourth place finish.

Coach Gigiu believes it will be a good game for Indian football tomorrow. “It will be a tough match against the champion team. There is no special preparation for tomorrow. We are playing for three points and are optimistic.”

With plenty of young players in their squad, Gigiu feels it will be challenging for them to square up against an experienced team like Gokulam. “Honestly, I’m a bit scared for the young players because they haven’t played a lot of games at this level. But I have confidence in them and in their capabilities.”

Bryce Miranda was one of the Red Machine’s most impressive players last season and also recently debuted for the India U-23s. “Bryce is an excellent player and has his feet on the ground. We have high hopes for him,” said Gigiu.

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Gokulam Kerala, led by Italian coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese, have landed in Kolkata again to defend their champions tag from last season. The Ghanaian trio of Denny Antwi, Philip Adjah and Mohamed Awal have left the club but the Malabarians have moved swiftly to sign replacements in the shape of defender Aminou Bouba and forward Rahim Osumanu.

Annese thinks it’s normal to lose players after winning the league, but it’s important to maintain the balance of the team. “We have a lot of youngsters who will make their I-League debuts. It’s also great to have players continuing from last season as well, like Alex Saji who is now a part of the national camp.”

“Churchill are our big rivals from last season but I don’t focus too much on our opponents. I only study them tactically. If we concentrate on our team, we can beat them all. We want to make our opponents afraid of us,” said Annese about tomorrow’s match.

The Italian asserted that he doesn’t take any pressure from outside. “All the pressure of being champions comes from me. I pressure myself to win the title again.”

At the same time, new boys Rajasthan United FC are all set to take on Roundglass Punjab FC on the opening day of the Hero I-League 2021-22. Both the teams will be aiming to start their journey with a victory. The match will be telecast live on the 1Sports Facebook page at 7.30 PM IST on December 26, 2021.

Speaking about the upcoming season, team manager Gabriel Gomes considered themselves as dark horses. “We have had a great pre-season together. The signings have already bought ripples in the league. I think we are the dark horse. But the winner will be decided based on the performance of the day.”

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Rajasthan United Vs RoundGlass Punjab

Meanwhile, Rajasthan United head coach Francesc Bonet has hinted that his side will play possession-based football. “I come from Barcelona. I like to play with the ball with an attacking mindset. It would be a beautiful game for the fans. I wish to win so we will try to combine both,” he said.

“The coach is also working on the psychological side of things. It is helping us to prepare better. We are working as a family. The support of the fans is tremendous. We are following our roadmap that shows we are on the right track. We are looking forward to the season,” he added.

On the other hand, Roundglass Punjab FC head coach Ashley Westwood praised the debutants for qualifying for the Hero I-League. “Congratulations to them for this achievement. They had an early get-together and have been training for a longer period than us. We need to make sure that we are at the top of our game tomorrow. It’s a very tough game to start but we are also excited and looking forward to it,” he said.

When asked about the aging players, Westwood brushed off all the critics. “Age is just a number. We train very hard and my players know what I demand in the training and on the match days. So, there will be no such issues. ” Ashley added.

The intent, ambition, and desire of both teams will make an entertaining affair as both teams are excited and looking forward to the game.

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