31. August
Bangalore Super Division: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 4-0 ADE - Goals: 1-0 Shyam Kumar (62'), 2-0 Dayanand, 3-0 Satish Kumar (79'), 4-0 Goutam Ghosh (90+').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Shahdara Club 1-1 Raisina Sporting Union - Goals: 1-0 Bhupender Thakur (15'), 1-1 Nishit Das (61').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Indian Nationals FC 5-0 Delhi Police - Goals: 1-0,2-0,3-0,4-0 Deepak Kumar, 5-0 Osmond John Ekka.
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Shastri Club 8-0 Buddhist Blue Stars
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Tarun Sangha 4-1 Collegians Club - Goals: 1-0,3-0 Pushpender (12',?'), 2-0 Debabrata (25'), 3-1 Bhola Biswas, 4-1 Membro (82').
Mumbai Elite League: Mumbai Customs 0-0 Union Bank of India
Punjab State Super League: Border Security Force 7-1 Rail Coach Factory - Goals: 1-0 Gurjit Singh Atwal (8'), 2-0 Deepak Kumar (13'), 3-0,5-1,6-1 Kamal Kishore (?',70',72'), 3-1 Manjinder Singh, 4-1,7-1 Amarjith Singh (?',89').

Note-1: The protest against Mohammedan AC about registering a fourth foreigner against the rule of allowed three, lodged by EverReady and Railway FC, has been overruled by the governing IFA. Therefore Mohammedan AC can now take part in the Super Six stage of the Calcutta Super Division.

30. August
A historic day for India and Indian sports: Indian long jumper Anju Bobby George clinched the bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships 2003 in Paris. This unexpected bronze medal for the Kerala athlete is an historic one, as Anju Bobby George became the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in a World Athletics Championships!!!

Bangalore Super Division: CIL 5-1 BEL SC - Goals: 1-0,4-0,5-0 James (20',46',55'), 2-0 Suresh Babu (22'), 3-0 Ravindran (39'), 5-1 Sudhakar (82').
Calcutta Super Division: Tollygunge Agragami 1-0 Mohammedan Sporting Club - Goal: 1-0 Akeem Abul Alem (20').
Calcutta Super Division: Railway FC 0-1 West Bengal Police - Goal: 0-1 Sunil Mondal (86').
Calcutta Super Division: Bhratri Sangha 1-1 Mohammedan AC - Goals: 1-0 Gautam Naha (5'), 1-1 Arup Sarkar (90').
Calcutta Super Division: EverReady Association 3-0 Wari AC
Calcutta Super Division: Eastern Railway SC 1-4 Calcutta Port Trust
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Hindustan Club 3-1 Goans SC - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Probin Rai, 2-1 KP Donny, 3-1 Sanjeev Yadav.
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Moonlight Club 1-0 Simla Youngs - Goals: 1-0 Shyam Kumar (23').
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Mughals Club 4-0 Buddhist Blue Stars
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: New Delhi Heroes 1-2 Shastri Club - Goals: 1-0 Gamilung Kemai (49'), 1-1 Trilok Singh Bisht (74'), 1-2 Nageshwar Rao (78').
Goa Professional League: Churchill Brothers SC 0-1 Sporting Clube de Goa - Goal: 0-1 MacPherlin Dudu Omagbemi (70').
Goa Professional League: Salgaocar Sports Club 3-0 Cabral Sports Club - Goals: 1-0 Bello Rasaq (33'), 2-0 Freddy Mascarenhas (50'), 3-0 Climax Lawrence (79').
Goa Professional League: Dempo Sports Club 1-1 Fransa FC - Goals: 1-0 Francis Silveira (83'), 1-1 Jose Carvalho (88').
Mumbai Elite League: Western Railway 2-2 Central Railway
Punjab State Super League: JCT Mills - Punjab State Electricity Board - abandoned following heavy showers; match will be played on September 1.

26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Final: Mizoram 2-0 Meghalaya - Goal: 1-0,2-0 Laltanpula (59',61')

Note-1: Indian skipper Baichung Bhutia scored his first goal for Perak FC in the Malaysia Cup against Melaka. Bhutia knocked in a header in the 7th minute to open the scoring. The match ended with a 2-1 victory for Perak.
More news and scores in the Baichung Bhutia section... click here

Note-2: Mohun Bagan officially announced Godrej as their co-sponsors. This sponsorship deal is also connected with plans to recruit two US players. Godrej has paid Bagan in cash Rs 600,000 and promised to bear expenses of the two US players, planned to be recruited in near future.
Interesting to hear of such plans, although the FIFA imposed a ban on Mohun Bagan from registering any new player at national or international level runs until the expiry of the next transfer period...

29. August
A very sad story from Goa to report:
Footballer Antonio Borges of Sporting Club de Goa succumbed to head injuries at the Goa Medical College Hospital yesterday after being admitted following a motorcycle mishap. Borges was only 25 years old and leaves behind his parents and two sisters. As we reported earlier, Borges had suffered severe head injuries when his motorcycle skidded of the road and hit a concrete structure on August 16, on his way to his clubs practice along with teammate Alex Colaco, who had minor injuries.
Today Antonio Borges was buried at Nuvem cemetery after a funeral service at Nuvem church, which was attended by the Goan football family - players, officials and fans.
The indianfootball.com team condoles the death of Antonio Borges and our thoughts are with his family.

Bangalore Super Division: LRDE 2-1 515 Army Base Workshop - Goals: 1-0 G Ashok (33'), 1-1 Saravana (53'), 2-1 Nandakumar (59').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Shahdara Club 3-0 Indian Nationals FC - Goals: 1-0 Pramod Rawat, 2-0 Paritosh Sharma, 3-0 Bhupinder Thakur.
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Delhi Police 0-3 Raisina Sporting Union - Goals: 0-1 Subashish Kundu, 0-2 Robin Das, 0-3 Ashish Das.
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: City Club 7-1 Collegians Club
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Indian Air Force 1-0 Tarun Sangha - Goal: 1-0 Danny (54').
Mumbai Elite League: Mahindra United 1-0 Haywards 2000-Holy Family
Punjab State Super League: Punjab Police 1-2 Border Security Force - Goals: 0-1 Raghuvir Singh (5'), 0-2 Santosh Kumar (43'), 1-2 Harish Sharma (45').

Note-1: Baichung Bhutia was been released from hospital in Malaysia today and rejoined his team Perak FC. The reason behind the high fever was an upset stomach combined with dehydration after a match and Perak hope to utilise Baichung's service in tomorrows away match at Malacca.
After the match Baichung travels to Mumbai on Sunday to officially announce his partnership with sports management firm Nine Yards.

Note-2: Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam today awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards to 23 sportspersons including seasoned footballer IM Vijayan.

28. August
Calcutta Super Division: Mohun Bagan AC 1-0 Mohammedan Sporting Club - Goal: 1-0 Jose Barreto (28').
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 3-0 Calcutta Port Trust - Goals: 1-0 Suley Musah, 2-0 Mike Okoro (45'), 3-0 Kalia Kulothungan.
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Moonlight Club 2-1 Delhi Police
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Goan SC 0-0 Simla Young - Goals: none.
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Indian Air Force 1-1 Shastri Club - Goals: 1-0 Kalyan Pal (5'), 1-1 Subhash Negi (26').
Mumbai Elite League: Air-India 3-1 Bengal Mumbai FC
Punjab State Super League: Rail Coach Factory 2-0 Punjab State Electricity Board - Goals: 1-0 Amandeep Singh (55'), 2-0 Kulwinder Singh (85').

26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Semifinal: Mizoram 1-0 Manipur - Goal: 1-0 Laltanpula (76').
26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Semifinal: Meghalaya 2-1 West Bengal - Goals: 0-1 Ashim Mani Das (17'), 1-1 Borland Syngkon (47'), 2-1 Kitbor Kharkongor (79').

Note-1: Baichung Bhutia was hospitalised on wednesday night with high fever in Malaysia after his new club Perak FC's Malaysian FA-Cup match away against Malaka. Earlier Baichung played 90 minutes with an impressing performance, not scoring but with two assists. Perak didn't take any chances with the fever therefore the hospitalisation but Baichung should be released tomorrow.

Note-2: If needed a championship playoff final would be held in the Calcutta Super Division this season but from next season onwards there wouldn't be such a final. The reason for the IFA's decision is that the clubs weren't informed before the start of the league that no final would be held. But a final looks unlikely, as East Bengal control the league.

27. August
Bangalore Super Division: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 0-2 Karnataka State Police - Goals: 0-1 RC Govindaraj (74'), 0-2 Maheshwaran (78').
Goa Professional League: Churchill Brothers SC 1-0 Fransa FC - Goal: 1-0 Mohammed Najeeb (90+').
Goa Professional League: Salgaocar SC 0-1 Sporting Clube de Goa - Goal: 0-1 Joseph Pereira (41').
Punjab State Super League: Border Security Force 1-2 JCT Mills - Goals: 0-1 Baldeep Singh (34'), 0-2 Charanjit Kumar (43'), 1-2 PH Boy Singh (47').

26. August
Bangalore Super Division: Indian Telephone Industries 2-0 MEG - Goals: 1-0 PK Jagadish Kumar (25'), 2-0 RP Ashok Kumar (74').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Hindustan Club 1-0 Simla Youngs - Goal: 1-0 Mohammed Salim Javed.
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Moonlight Club 0-0 Goans SC - Goals: none.
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Delhi Police 1-3 Shahdara Club - Goals: 0-1 Rakesh Kohli, 0-2 Pramod Rawat, 0-3 Sidharth Bhandari, 1-3 Mahesh Bisht.
Goa Professional League: Dempo SC 2-0 Vasco SC - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Sunday Seah (36',77').
Mumbai Elite League: Central Railway 2-1 Mumbai Customs
Punjab State Super League: Punjab State Electricity Board 2-3 Punjab Police

26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group B: Meghalaya 3-0 Manipur
26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group B: Maharashtra 0-2 Jharkhand

Note-1: East Bengal's Indian international Alvito D'Cunha got injured in yesterday's Calcutta Super Division match against Railway FC and will be out of action between three to six weeks. Depending on his recovery, Alvito might miss the championship stage of the Calcutta Super Division and the IFA-Shield but also he might have to be left out of the Afro-Asian Games squad as the camp is set to start from October 1 in five weeks time.

25. August
Bangalore Super Division: ADE 4-0 BEL SC - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Thajuddin (19',49'), 3-0 Denis (72'), 4-0 Ben (90+').
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 4-0 Railway FC - Goals: 1-0,2-0,3-0 Mike Okoro (3',13',22'), 4-0 Malswam Tulunga (29').
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: City Club 3-1 Tarun Sangha - Goals: 0-1 Prabir Roy (23'), 1-1,2-1,3-1 Naveen Malik (66',71',77').
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Mughals Club 0-1 Shastri Club - Goal: 0-1 Sameer Jung (78').
Mumbai Elite League: Mahindra United 3-0 Air-India
Punjab State Super League: Rail Coach Factory 0-1 JCT Mills - Goal: 0-1 Charanjit Kumar (19').

26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group A: Mizoram 2-0 Tamil Nadu
26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group A: West Bengal 1-0 Uttaranchal

Note-1: Through it's local parent body, the Indian Football Association (Bengal body), Mohun Bagan AC have paid the fine of USD 11,500 imposed on the club by world governing body FIFA on non-payment of salary to Nigerian recruit Isa Musah Eroje. The initiative to pay the fine was taken by the clubs assistant secretary Balaram Chowdhury and the court-appointed three special officers in charge of the club's football activities. In addition to that Bagan have requested FIFA to lift the ban on recruiting new foreigners, as now the fine had been paid.

Note-2: Due to a public transport strike in Calcutta tomorrow, the derby match between Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting in the Calcutta Super Division had to be deferred. The match will now likely be held on Thursday or Friday.

24. August
Bangalore Super Division: LRDE 1-0 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited - Goal: 1-0 G Ashok (86').
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Indian Air Force 3-0 Buddhist Blue Star - Goals: 1-0 Danny (10'), 2-0 Sanat Kar (50'), 3-0 E Thomas (70').
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: New Delhi Heroes 3-0 Collegians Club - Goals: 1-0 Gamilung Kemai (15'), 2-0 Mehtab Ahmed (25'), 3-0 Nasiruddin.
Goa Professional League: Salgaocar Sports Club 0-0 Churchill Brothers SC - Goals: none.
Punjab State Super League: Punjab State Electricity Board 1-2 Border Security Force - Goals: 1-0 Sukhbir Singh, 1-1 Raghubir Singh (77'), 1-2 Gurjit Singh Atwal (80').

23. August
Bangalore Super Division: Karnataka State Police 3-0 515 Army Base Workshop - Goals: 1-0,3-0 Govindaraj (28',75'), 2-0 Mageshwaran (72').
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 4-1 Mohammedan Sporting Club - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Mike Okoro (36',40'), 3-0 Bijen Singh (67'), 3-1 Dipendu Biswas (83'), 4-1 Surkumar Singh (86').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Hindustan Club 1-1 Shahdara Club - Goals: 0-1 Rakesh Kohli (46'), 1-1 Sanjeev Yadav (60').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Moonlight Club 0-0 Raisina Sporting Union - Goals: none.
Goa Professional League: Vasco SC 1-1 Fransa FC
Goa Professional League: Dempo SC 1-1 Cabral SC
Punjab State Super League: Punjab Police 0-1 Rail Coach Factory - Goal: 0-1 Kulwinder Singh (52').

Note-1: Today is a historic day in English football for Indian footballers and players of Indian origin, as Newcastle United's Michael Chopra, an English junior international - so sadly no longer eligible to play for India, made his English Premiership debut against none other than Manchester United. Chopra, who has played for his club in Cup matches and in the Champions League last season, came on as a substitute in the 72.minute and in injury time could have scored the equaliser, which would have made the debut even more memorable.
So lets hope and pray that more players of Indian origin and players from India play one day in the Premier League.

22. August
Dramatic development in the Baichung Bhutia Malaysian loan saga: The AIFF issued the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) to Bhutia on Wednesday, while the East Bengal management had decided to release the Indian skipper only after their match versus Mohun Bagan on September 4. But as the ITC was issued on Wednesday, Bhutia is now a Perak FC player and he would need special permission from the Malaysians to play in the Calcutta derby. But now Baichung is set to fly from Calcutta to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur tonight to join his new team for a two month loan stint, which is likely to end earlier in early to mid-October ahead of the Afro-Asian Games.

Bangalore Super Division: Indian Telephone Industries 1-0 CIL - Goal: 1-0 Shone Johnson (50').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Indian Nationals FC 4-1 Goans SC - Goals: 1-0,2-1,3-1 Deepak Kumar (11',60',78'), 1-1 Shailender Rawat (39'), 4-1 Gurtek Singh (90').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Delhi Police 1-1 Simla Youngs - Goals: 0-1 Devash Kaushik (53'), 1-1 Mahesh Bisht (65').
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Shastri Club 2-0 City Club - Goals: 1-0 Subhash Negi (27'), 2-0 Harish Bisht (36').
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Mughals Club 0-1 Tarun Sangha - Goal: 0-1 Ekkramali (50').
Mumbai Elite League: Bengal Mumbai FC 3-0 Central Railway
Punjab State Super League: Punjab State Electricity Board 2-5 JCT Mills - Goals: 1-0 Balbir Singh (26'), 1-1,1-4 Charanjit Kumar (33',?'), 1-2 Stephen Abarowei (35'), 1-3 Sukhjinder Singh (49'), 1-5 Gyan Moin Thapa (70'), 2-5 Jasbir Singh (75').

26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group A: Mizoram 8-0 Uttaranchal
26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group A: West Bengal 4-1 Tamil Nadu

21. August
Bangalore Super Division: ADE 0-0 Karnataka State Police - Goals: none.
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: Indian Air Force, Delhi 7-1 Collegians Club
Delhi Senior Division - Group B: New Delhi Heroes 6-2 Buddhist Blue Star
Guwahati Super Division - championship-leg: Assam Police Blues 0-1 Assam State Electricity Board - Goal: 0-1 Sanjiva Rongpi (53').
Mumbai Elite League: Mahindra United 2-1 Union Bank of India

26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group B: Manipur - Maharashtra
26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group B: Meghalaya - Jharkhand

20. August
Might Baichung Bhutia go to Malaysian champions Perak FC in the end???
The AIFFs plea with FIFA for an exception for a short duration loan deal has been successful as the AIFF has received the International Transfer Clearance papers for Baichung Bhutia. But the question is if Baichung can go at all, as East Bengal will only allow Baichung to leave after September 4's derby against Mohun Bagan and the AIFF want him to return in mid-October ahead of the Afro-Asian Games, which wouldn't be the two month deal finalised with Perak.
So lets see what happens in the coming days...

Bangalore Super Division: BEL SC 1-0 515 Army Base Workshop - Goal: 1-0 Gubindra (53').
Calcutta Super Division: Tollygunge Agragami 1-0 EverReady Association - Goal: 1-0 Sandip Das (37').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Hindustan Club 1-1 Raisina Sporting Union - Goals: 1-0 Protim Roy (10'), 1-1 Robin Das (30').
Delhi Senior Division - Group A: Moonlight Club 1-1 Shahdara Club - Goals: 0-1 Pramod Rawat (26'), 1-1 Tikkam Bisht (75').
Goa Professional League: Salgaocar SC 0-0 Fransa FC - Goals: none.
Guwahati Super Division - championship-leg: Assam Dynamo Club 1-1 NF Railway SC - Goals: 1-0 Padum Rabha (22'), 1-1 Sushanta Mazumdar (72').
Punjab State Super League: JCT Mills 3-0 Border Security Force - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Stephen Abarowei (12',30'), 3-0 Jaswinder Singh (87').

26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group A: Mizoram 0-0 West Bengal
26.Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy - Quarterfinal-League - Group A: Uttaranchal 2-2 Tamil Nadu

19. August
Bangalore Super Division: MEG 1-0 LRDE - Goal: 1-0 Ajith Kumar (22').
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 5-0 Bhratri Sangha - Goals: 1-0,5-0 Mike Okoro (9',71'), 2-0,3-0 Suley Musah (30',40'), 4-0 Malswam Tulunga (60').
Goa Professional League: Vasco SC 2-0 Cabral SC - Goals: 1-0 Levy Coelho (42'), 2-0 Agnelo Jose Gomes (80').
Goa Professional League: Dempo SC 2-1 Sporting Clube de Goa - Goals: 0-1 Amaechi Nwabunwanne (55'), 1-1 Wilton Gomes (65'), 2-1 RC Prakash (77').
Guwahati Super Division - relegation-leg: Young Amateur Club 2-0 Maharana AC - Goal: 1-0 Girindra Rabha (31'), 2-0 Ziaul Rahman (32').
Mumbai Elite League: Bengal Mumbai FC 2-2 Mumbai Customs
Punjab State Super League: Rail Coach Factory 0-0 Punjab Police - Goals: none.

Note-1: indianfootball.com had asked for an official statement from FIFA on the Mohun Bagan issue.
Here is what has been send to us: By way of a decision taken on 4 July, the Dispution Resolution Chamber of FIFA accepted the claim lodged by the player Isa Musah Eroje (Nigeria) for USD 11,500 and due to breach of contract by Mohun Bagan also a ban was imposed on the Indian club from registering any new player at national or international level until the expiry of the next transfer period.

Note-2: The Goa Professional League kicked-off today and today the Goa FA was able to present the league's new title sponsor in Videocon India. The league will now be called Videocon Pro League.
The sponsorship deal had come about in a weeks time, as Mumbai-based sports marketing company Procam International was contacted by the GFA, who where in dire need of a title sponsor. Who no financial details where released but it was disclosed that Videocon would meet the pro league expenditures including the prize money, which would be raised but also those figures where released.

Note-3: The fight for the Super Six spots in the Calcutta Super Division are heating-up with now even official protests being used. EverReady Association and Railway FC have lodged separate protests with the IFA against Mohammedan AC for registering a fourth foreigner in seasoned Nigerian Bernard Operanozie. But according to the IFA, Mohammedan AC had problems with the registration of two of their foreigners and the registration was seen as incomplete, so they were allowed to register another foreigner. The matter would be discussed in the next IFA meeting.

18. August
Calcutta Super Division: Mohun Bagan AC 1-0 Wari AC - Goal: 1-0 Sunil Chetri (3').
Guwahati Super Division - championship-leg: Assam State Electricity Board 4-1 NF Railway SC - Goals: 1-0,3-0,4-0 Utpal Basumatary (3',80',88'), 2-0 Sanjiva Rongpi (59'), 4-1 Duleswar Rabha.
Guwahati Super Division - championship-leg: Assam Police Blues 1-0 Assam Dynamo Club - Goal: 1-0 Sanjay Brahma (16').
Punjab State Super League: Border Security Force 0-2 Punjab State Electricity Board - Goals: 0-1 Jasbir Singh (53'), 0-2 Jatinder Singh.

Note-1: The Goan Professional League starts tomorrow but before the league has even started, newly promoted Corps of Signal had to pull out of the league due to other commitments, the army football tournament in Assam to be precise. For not playing in the league, the team is likely to be relegated to the first division but no decision has been taken on that yet.

Note-2: Mohun Bagan continue to try and copy the successful formula of their archrivals East Bengal.
First they also acquired the services of a foreign physio, a Brazilian due to the Brazilian factor in the team and now from tomorrow until September 2 the Mohun Bagan team will have a residential camp at the SAI centre in the Saltlake Stadium complex, with training at the Saltlake Stadium. All players except Jose Barreto and Marcos Pereira will attend the camp.
Meanwhile news has come out in Calcutta that Bagan are trying to sign Godrej as their second sponsor besides McDowell's. If the deal comes through, Godrej would be a sort of co-sponsor for the team.

Note-3: Are former Mohun Bagan coach, Subrata Bhattarcharya's days numbered as Tollygunge Agragami coach?
Subrata took over at the beginning of the season and at the moment it isn't sure if National League side Tollygunge will make the Super Six of the Calcutta Super Division. But there seems to be more problems on other fronts, as the club management aren't happy with the ways of their coach, while players say that the coach doesn't give them the respect that they expect from him.

17. August
Bangalore Super Division: Indian Telephone Industries 1-1 Karnataka State Police - Goals: 1-o RP Ashok Kumar (17'), 1-1 Govinda.
Guwahati Super Division - relegation-leg: Maharana AC 4-0 Guwahati Town Club - Goals: 1-0 Bikram Buragohain (44'), 2-0 Pratap Brahma (57'), 3-0,4-0 Swister Momin (60',74').
Punjab State Super League: Punjab Police 0-1 JCT Mills - Goal: 0-1 Stephen Abarowei (13').

16. August
Bangalore Super Division: CIL 1-1 ADE - Goals: 1-0 Kanikaraj (39'), 1-1 Arun Kumar (83').
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 2-0 Tollygunge Agragami - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Baichung Bhutia (78',79')
Guwahati Super Division - championship-leg: Assam State Electricity Board 5-1 Assam Dynamo Club - Goals: 1-0,2-0,4-0,5-0 Sanjiva Rongpi (22',25',47',75'), 3-0 Kamakhya Basumatary (43'), 5-1 Hareshwar Rabha (87').

Goa FA Champions Trophy Charity Match: Salgaocar SC 2-0 Churchill Brothers SC - Goals: 1-0 Bernard Pires (78'), 2-0 Freddy Mascarenhas (90+').

Note-1: The report was out in the last few days, but today indianfootball.com received a official confirmation. Indian superstar Baichung Bhutia is not going to Malaysia. East Bengal would like to build on Bhutia during the upcoming local assignments. Bhutia would have joined Perak FC today, to play in the Malaysian FA Cup.

Note-2: Iran, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh have confirmed their participation in the U19 JRD Tata Cup to be held at Jamshedpur from September 11 to 22. The field of five teams will be completed by the TATA India U18 team and India B U19. Both Indian squads will be announced by chief coach Stephen Constantine next week. While Constantine will jointly with TFA coach Ranjan Chowdhury be in charge of the TFA India U18 squad, Satheevan Balan and Vijay Kumar are expected to be nominated as coaches for India B team.

Note-3: Alex Colaco and Anthony Borges, players from Sporting Clube de Goa were injured in an accident at Pilar on their way to attend practice at Panjim. The two were travelling on a motorcycle, when the bike skidded off the road. Both were admitted to Goa Medical College. While Colaco suffered only a knee injury, Borges was said to be critical with a head injury and has been shifted to the ICU.

15. August

Bangalore Super Division: MEG 2-0 BEL - Goals: 1-0 Sharat Singh (47'), 2-0 Nguernilal (51').
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club - Tollygunge Agragami
Punjab State Super League: Punjab State Electricity Board 2-3 Rail Coach Factory - Goals: 0-1,0-2 Manjinder Singh (14',19'), 1-2,2-2 Jasbir Singh (44',45'), 2-3 Amandeep Singh (66').

14. August
Bangalore Super Division: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 3-0 515 Army Base Workshop - Goals: 1-0 Senthil Kumar (33'), 2-0 Xavier Vijayakumar (73'), 3-0 Satish Kumar (80').
Calcutta Super Division: Mohammedan Sporting Club 3-2 Mohammedan AC - Goals: 1-0 Dipendu Biswas (15'), 2-0 Sheikh Sanjeeb, 3-0 Syed Rahim Nabi (45+'), 3-1 Ari Benjamin, 3-2 Danny Muinro.
Punjab State Super League: Border Security Force 1-1 Punjab Police

Note-1: A CD named "Itihaas-e East Bengal" (East Bengal in History) has been brought out by TV sports news programme "Dash Miniter Khela" in cooperation with Three Cheers Entertainment, which shows East Bengal's historic ASEAN Club Cup triumph in Jakarta, includes several lighter moments in the Jakarta campaign.
The CD, which is of 45-minute duration, tells the entire story of East Bengal's ASEAN conquest starting from the preparations in Calcutta at a five-star hotel upto the tumultuous reception given to the team on its return at the NSC Bose International Airport with the trophy.
The CD contains East Bengal's Jakarta match highlights, the practice sessions there plus coach Subhas Bhowmicks's press conferences before the final and immediately after emerging champions, making it an archival treasure for football fans.

Note-2: August 16 brings back sad memories to football lovers in Calcutta, as on that day in 1980 - 16 fans were killed in a crush at the Eden Gardens.
Since then the IFA has been holding the Football Lovers' Day and organises an annual blood donation camp, this year together with the Association of Voluntary Blood Donors at the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra with UCO Bank as sponsors and ABN Amro as co-sponsors.
A special for the blood doners is that they get certificates for donating blood signed by former football stars, this years certificates being signed Surajit Sengupta. Last year 1106 people had donated blood.

Note-3: The Bangalore District Football Associa-tion today relegated Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to the 'A' Division, as a punishment for not fielding their team for the Super Division match on Tuesday. BSNL had pulled out of the match against KSP, citing "compelling administrative reasons." BDFA Secretary ST Bhoopal informed that BSNL's opponents have been awarded three points and two goals, as per the league rules.

13. August
Bangalore Super Division: Indian Telephone Industries 0-0 LRDE - Goals: none.
Calcutta Super Division: Mohun Bagan AC 3-0 Eastern Railway SC - Goals: 1-0 Babun Kar (13'), 2-0,3-0 Hardip Singh Gill (25',?').
Guwahati Super Division - championship-leg: Assam Police Blues 1-0 NF Railway SC - Goal: 1-0 Amulya Das (43').
Punjab State Super League: JCT Mills 2-1 Rail Coach Factory - Goals: 1-0 Manjit Singh (15'), 1-1 Manjinder Singh, 2-1 Jaspal Singh (85').

Note-1: The football tournament of the Afro-Asian Games will see some of the best in African and Asian football in action. African champions Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa have confirmed their participation, while a replacement has been sought for Morocco who have pulled out with Angola looking a likely replacement but the Confederation Africaine de Football has taken no final decision. Asia will be represented by hosts India along with Iran, Japan and China. What the squad strengths will be isn't known, as the top players from most countries play in Europe, where the season will be in full swing, with the Japanese announcing that they will send an under-23 team.

Note-2: The 109th IFA-Shield will be held from September 16 to 28, 2003 across West Bengal with the 12 Calcutta Super Division teams fighting it out for the title. The IFA decided to make Bengal's oldest knockout tournament a local affair, as outstation teams had been just seen in action in the Federation Cup and will be back for the National League, while foreign teams where no option due to the AFC ban on inviting foreign teams.
The Groups: Group A - Haldia: Mohun Bagan, Railway FC, Bhratri Sangha. Group B - Siliguri: East Bengal, Eastern Railway, Wari AC. Group C - Barasat: Mohammedan Sporting, EverReady Association, West Bengal Police. Group D - Malda: Tollygunge Agragami, Mohammedan AC, Calcutta Port Trust.

Note-3: The scenario surrounding Mohun Bagan is getting more and more grotesk.
Today in the latest act of the play - more than 1.000 supporters under the banner of the Mohun Bagan Supporters' and Guild gathered infront of the club tent and later near the statue of legendary Bagan player Gostha Pal, burning effigies and pictures of UB Group president Vijay Mallya and shouting slogans against Mallya and Bagan secretary Anjan Mitra, who according to them have an unholy alliance.
Meanwhile Bagan assistant secretary Balram Chowdhury demanded immediate resignation of secretary Anjan Mitra hinting into the same direction.
"Let UB tell us clearly whether they want to patronise the club, if not they are most welcome to leave for we have alternatives ready. If they are well meaning they should start paying regularly and clear all dues," Chowdhury said.

Note-4: East Bengal Day was celebrated today to mark the 63rd birth anniversary of the club's late assistant secretary Dipak "Paltu" Das. The East Bengal Museum on the club premises with club memorabilia was opened today by Baichung Bhutia.

12. August
Bangalore Super Division: Karnataka State Police - BSNL - BSNL didn't tur-up for their match with decision from league committee awaited.
Calcutta Super Division: Mohammedan Sporting Club 1-0 Bhratri Sangha - Goal: 1-0 Dipendu Biswas (41').
Guwahati Super Division - relegation-leg: Maharana AC 3-0 Rising XI - Goals: 1-0 Biju Gogoi (10'), 2-0 Pratap Brahma (65'), 3-0 Swister Momin (70').
Punjab State Super League: Punjab Police 2-0 Punjab State Electricity Board - Goals: 1-0 Hardip Singh Sangha (4'), 2-0 Vijay Pal (38').

Note-1: Federation Cup champions Mahindra United returned from Calcutta today at the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Kurla in Mumbai by train. The team was greeted by club officials, well-wishers and some fans, as the team was taken on open Mahindra Jeeps to the company headquarters in Kandivli, western Mumbai, where the team was greeted by workers.

Note-2: As we reported a few days ago, the selection camp for the India U19 B team for the JRD Tata Cup has started in Jamshedpur under the watchful eyes of assistant coach Satheevan Balan.
Taking part in the camp are: Rajesh Bangera, Sajid Ansari, Shahnawaz Ansari, Agnelo Francis (all Mahindra United), Faisal Martins, Clifton Gonsalves (both Dempo), Denzil Franco (Salgaocar), Kulbir Singh (JCT Mills), Godwin Diego Franco (Churchill Brothers),Rochus Lamare (Mohun Bagan), Manas Das (Mohammedan Sporting), Sumit Thapa (Tata Football Academy), Lekini Suting (Fransa), Ravindra Thapliyal (Indian Air Force, Delhi), S Kultimani, Dharni (both Karnataka), Atal Kyanta, LW Dirydan (both Meghalaya), Shankar Roy (Bengal), Lester Fernandes (Maharashtra), Pankaj (Madhya Pradesh).

Note-3: A UNI report: Members of the Mohun Bagan Supporters' and Guild will hold a demonstration-cum-protest rally in Calcutta tomorrow and burn the effigy of UB chief Vijay Mallya for not paying the club its dues. Priyal Chowdhury, leader of the MBSG, told UNI: "We want McDowells to pay up its dues. Last year also there was a case, so why are they not paying the money now. We smell a conspiracy in this. If he is not interested in the club he is most welcome to leave, but we cannot see the club dying a slow death. We will hold a protest rally in front of the legendary footballer Gostho Pal's statue at the Maidan and burn the effigy of Vijay Mallya and a cutout of McDowell's bottle to show our resentment."
An unbelievable step by the MBSG. They should look at the people running the club affairs, rather than looking at the club sponsors, who haven't been given the return from the club for their sponsorship.

11. August
Bangalore Super Division: ADE 1-0 MEG - Goal: 1-0 Elangovan (67').
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 2-1 EverReady Association - Goals: 1-0 Douglas da Silva (37'), 1-1 Earnest Jeremiah (47'), 2-1 Baichung Bhutia (70').
Calcutta Super Division: Calcutta Port Trust 0-0 West Bengal Police - Goals: none.
Guwahati Super Division - relegation-leg: Guwahati Town Club 1-0 Young Amateur Club - Goal: 1-0 Kankan Choudhary (4').
Punjab State Super League: Rail Coach Factory 2-1 Border Security Force - Goals: 1-0 J Joseph (7'), 1-1 Navjot Singh (29'), 2-1 Balwinder Singh (37').

Note-1: The AIFF is working on plans to organise a tri-nation international tournament in late-September involving two other national teams besides India. Top candidates for the tournament are South Korea and Iran but if Iran have to pull out, then another team from the Middle East would be invited. The tournament would be called the Nehru Series and the tournament will be used as preparations for the Afro-Asian Games.
But if Lok Sabha elections are brought forward to November, then the Afro-Asian Games might have to be postponed and then also the Nehru Series would be held later.

Note-2: Mohun Bagan, acting as per AIFF advice, will pay the USD 11,000 fine imposed by FIFA for failing to clear the dues of Nigerian Isa Musah Eroje last season. The club has a 20 day deadline until August 27, from the date it received the letter from FIFA, which they received on August 7.
Bagan assistant secretary Balaram Chowdhury said, "We will definitely pay up the fine, which is actually the amount due to be cleared to the player. We will call an executive council meeting soon to decide on the matter."
Chowdhury added: "I will ask the club secretary to convene a meeting and urge him to place relevant documents along with last year's accounts while deciding on the issue."
But the question remains - where will Bagan pay the fine from??? At the moment the club is having problems for quite some time to pay salaries to the players, some even have left the club without receiving a substancial amount of their salary.
Meanwhile club secretary Anjan Mitra is said to have left for Delhi to move the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court ruling.

Note-3: Victor Stanculescu, Asian Football Confederation technical director, tour of India to get a better overview on the senario across the country continued with him now being in Meghalaya.
In Meghalaya he is exploring possibility of setting up an 'Academy', holding talks with the Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Paul Lyngdoh. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Lyngdoh said the TD has come here to familiarize himself with the football scenario of the State. "Victor Stanculescu is impressed by seeing the football activities in the State," Lyngdoh said. A technical department would be set up to look after coaching, ladies football, sports medicine, referees' training and school soccer, he said. The AFC was "very much interested" to develop football in India after the AIFF decided to identify five regions in the country, the TD said. "Here climate is beautiful - like England - that will be advantage," he said adding the Government was also equally positive.
So good news for football in Meghalaya!!!

10. August
Bangalore Super Division: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 0-0 CIL - Goals: none.
Mumbai Elite League: Air-India 0-1 Central Railway - Goal: 0-1 Asif Jamal (63').
10th Upen Brahma Gold Cup - Udalguri - Final: Lajong SSC, Shillong 3-0 Assam State Electricity Board

Note-1: Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia has signed a contract with Nine Yards, a Mumbai sports marketing company, to look after his personal marketing and his endorsement deals. The length of the contract isn't known but this will enable Baichung to get more personal sponsors and improve his personal profile. What Baichung reiterated was that this contract wouldn't be in conflict with his contracts with the UB Group, who are also the sponsors of his club East Bengal.

Note-2: As reported by us on Friday, Mohun Bagan are now even in trouble with the world football governing body FIFA and Bagan today hoped to get some help from the AIFF but in a surprise to the club, the AIFF has adviced Bagan to pay the imposed fine "as soon as possible" and then appeal, as otherwise it could face problems to sign any new foreigners or loan Indian players for this season, as by the time the appeal will be discussed in the FIFA Players Status Committee four months will be gone and the transfer period closed.
On the issue AIFF president Dasmunshi on Sunday met with IFA secretary Subrata Dutta and later with Bagan assistant secretary Balaram Chowdhury. At the meeting with the IFA secretary, Das Munshi asked the IFA to produce a report in the next 20 days on the matter and said after the metting "I have asked Mr Dutta to submit a report on FIFA's move against Mohun Bagan. I have also asked him to let me know about the club's course of action and whether it is appealing to FIFA to exempt them from the penalty and the ban."
For Bagan the situation becomes financially even more difficult, as it will have to find another Rs 550,000 to pay the fine and also it owes George Ekeh and Yakubu another Rs 600,000. While Yakubu might also go to FIFA on his payment, Ekeh is on the verge to return to Bagan but with the ban the deal might fall through. And it looks like club sponsor's UB Group not willing to pump in any more money, so around Rs 2 million would have to be raised for fines plus salaries. A tough job ahead for the people in control...
But another question came-up today. Bagan club secretary Anjan Mitra had written to FIFA that Isa Musah Eroje had been banned by Bagan in January but how did he play for the club in the National League in February. This question will now have to be discussed within Mohun Bagan and then an appeal mae with FIFA.

Note-3: Congratulations to IM Vijayan on being one of the 16 Arjuna Awardees 2003!!!
The Arjuna Awards committee under the presidentship of former footballer PK Banerjee met over the weekend in the capital to discuss, who of the 22 nominees would have to be axed to reduce the number to the final 16, who will received the award from the president of India. One of the final 16 was IM Vijayan, who has long served our countries football and sports in general, a deserving winner of the prestigious award.

Note-4: Shabbir Ali is back in Goa with Fransa FC to coach the club again from now on. The Goan Governor's Cup and the Goa Pro League being his first engagements. Last season Shabbir Ali had coached Fransa during the Pro League, where Fransa had finished a credible third ahead of National League sides Sporting Clube, Dempo and Churchill Brothers. But then for the National League Shabbir left Fransa to join Bangalore's Indian Telephone Industries, where he didn't last for long. Now back at Fransa Shabbir wants to see what player material he has to work with and aims to stay in the Pro League and try to qualify for the 2.Division, maybe later in the season trying to gain NFL promotion.
Shabbir Ali replaces seasoned TK Chathunny, who had only taken over the coaching job at Fransa earlier this season, as the Keralite coach is not keeping well.

9. August
25.Federation Cup - Final: Mohammedan Sporting Club 0-1 Mahindra United - Goal: 0-1 Shanmugam Venkatesh (78').
CONGRATULATIONS TO MAHINDRA UNITED FROM THE INDIANFOOTBALL.COM TEAM FOR WINNING THEIR MAIDEN FEDERATION CUP TITLE!!!
Mumbai's Mahindra United won the Federation Cup for the first time, overcoming tough resistance from Calcutta's Mohammedan Sporting Club, beating them 1-0 in an exciting final at the Saltlake Stadium, Calcutta. Indian international Shanmugam Venkatesh scored the only goal of the final in the 78th minute after a James Singh shot had deflected off advancing Sporting keeper KM Rafeeq. Most of the more than 75.000 strong crowd went home dejected as they were supporting the home team but it was party time in Mumbai, especially in Borivali and Kandivili, where Mahindra United are based.
Mahindra United take home the winners cheque of Rs 1 million, while Mohammedan Sporting have to be content with Rs 600,000. Meanwhile Vasco won the Fairplay Trophy plus Rs 25,000.
MSC: KM Rafeeq, Amjad Ali Khan, Hussain Mustafi, Madhab Das, Amandeep Singh, Bungo Singh, Satish Bharti, Iqbal Shahnawaz Khan, Syed Rahim Nabi, Sheikh Sanjib (Arjan Ali), Dipendu Biswas.
MAHINDRA: Sunder Raj Rajan, Covan Lawrence, Sanjay Parte, Odartey Lawson, Arun Malhotra, Rauf Khan, Khalid Jamil (Mongba Aby Samson), Shanmugam Venkatesh (Steven Dias), Jules Alberto, James Singh, Raphael Patron Akakpo (Abhisek Yadav).

Bangalore Super Division: Indian Telephone Industries 5-0 BEL SC - Goals: 1-0,3-0,5-0 RP Ashok Kumar (12',46',90'), 2-0,4-0 Gopi (39',70')
Guwahati Super Division: Assam Dynamo Club 2-3 Assam Police Blues

Note-1: Injured Anit Ghosh, East Bengal's captain last season, is looking for a new club to resurrect his career when he returns from a long injury layoff. Last season East Bengal won four of the titles under his leadership but he got injured during the National League and now wasn't part of the victorious ASEAN Club Cup winning squad nor anywhere near it. Anit Ghosh is disappointed with the apathy shown by his club, for which he has played five seasons, and given his heart and soul. Now he has handed in a request to be released, so that he can get transferred or loaned to another club, so he can play football, when he gets back from injury.

8. August
Bangalore Super Division: MEG 5-1 515 Army Base Workshop - Goals: 1-0,3-0 Ajith Kumar (3',34'), 2-0,5-0 Nguernilal (15',58'), 4-0 Rajesh (45'), 5-1 Kamalkumar.
Guwahati Super Division: Guwahati Town Club 1-0 Maharana AC - Goal: 1-0 Monojit Mili (81')

Note-1: A new chapter in the never ending Mohun Bagan story: The world-governing body FIFA slapped a US $ 11.000 fine and barred them from recruiting any more foreign players till April 30, 2004 for not remitting the contract amount to Nigerian Isa Musah Eroje. Mohun Bagan secretary Anjan Mitra told some weeks ago, that the club suspended George Ekeh and Isa Musah Eroje "for breaking the club discipline and provoking the players not to play for the club". However the notification came from FIFA's players' status committee which has given the directive following a complaint lodged by Eroje of having not received the due payment after the club deserted him in the middle of the National League last season. This decision taken by FIFA will affect the plannings of Mohun Bagan coach Aloke Mukherjee, as he had requested the club management to look for a foreign midfielder to strenghten the team.
Once again it is: "Quo vadis Mohun Bagan?"

Note-2: Security at tomorrow's Federation Cup final will be beefed-up after the incidents at the Mohammedan Sporting-Mohun Bagan semifinal, which left two persons dead.
All fans entering the ground will have to go through body-search to avoid them to take things into the ground, which could be used a throwing objects.
In total 2.500 police personal (1.500 inside and 1.000 outside) will be stationed at the ground to make sure that the match takes place without any crowd trouble or any other sort of problems.

7. August
Bangalore Super Division: Karnataka State Police 1-1 MEG - Goals: 1-0 Mageshwaran (86'), 1-1 Irudayaraj (88').
Guwahati Super Division: Young Amateur Club 1-0 Rising XI - Goals: 1-0 Ziaul Rahman (42').

Note-1: The most important decision taken at an emergency Executive Committee meeting of Mohammedan Sporting Club at it's club tent on the Calcutta Maidan is - the club will play Saturday's Federation Cup final against Mahindra United. Sporting has demanded compensation from the AIFF, IFA and West Bengal government for the injured and the families of the two dead in the alleged lathicharge by the police during/after the semifinal against Mohun Bagan.
Mohammedan Sporting players will be wearing black armbands and the club has asked its supporters to wear black badges on Saturday in protest against the police atrocities and appealed to the AIFF/IFA that a minute's silence be observed before the final in memory of their deceased supporters.
"Our supporters were aggrieved, but still wanted us to play. So considering the status of the tournament and the sentiments of the city's soccer lovers we have decided to participate in the final," said club general secretary Sultan Ahmed.
Sultan Ahmed has also sought an appointment with WB chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to explain the incidents to him. Ahmed demanded that facilities at the Saltlake stadium for supporters be improved, and enough lights provided to facilitate smooth passage of the crowd. But the appointment wasn't possible for the chief minister.

Note-2: With all the criticism after the incidents on Tuesday at the Saltlake Stadium, the Calcutta Police will take stringent measures on Saturday that the events don't reoccur, when fans invaded the pitch and outside two fans were killed after a lathicharge near Gates 4/5.
Among the police measures taken, water bottles will no longer be allowed to be taken into the Saltlake Stadium, so that they can no longer be misused as "missiles".
But the main info from the police is: security at the stadium and around the playing area will be higher and the personell has been told to be more watchful. As the risk for trouble is very very high, if things don't go the Mohammedan way.

6. August
25.Federation Cup - Semifinal: Mahindra United 2-1 Vasco SC - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Raphael Patron Akakpo (17',25'), 2-1 Krishnan Ajayan (66').
MAHINDRA: Sunder Raj Rajan, Odartey Lawson (Jinto Jose), Covan Lawrence, Arun Malhotra, Sanjay Parte, Rauf Khan, Khalid Jamil, Jules Alberto (Steven Dias), Shanmugam Venkatesh, James Singh, Raphael Patron Akakpo (Abhishek Yadav).
VASCO: Saji Joy, Seby Dias, John Dias, Selwyn Fernandes, Vinu Jose, Kamal Thapa (Sushanth Mathew), Menino Fernandes (Sukhwinder Singh), Dennis Cabral, Krishnan Ajayan, Agnelo Gomes, Mohammed Quizar.

Bangalore Super Division: BEL SC 3-0 BSNL - Goals: 1-0 Dharanidharan (36'), 2-0 Vinod (76'), 3-0 Aravind (80').
Guwahati Super Division: NF Railway SC 1-1 Assam State Electricity Board - Goals: 1-0 Prasanta Bharali (65'), 1-1 David Goyary (90').

Note-1: A UNI report: The ghost of the 'Black August-16' 1980 returned to haunt soccer fans at the Saltlake Stadium yesterday during the Mohun Bagan-Mohammedan Sporting semifinal tie of the Federation Cup when a police lathi-charge and the resultant confusion claimed two lives. The bodies were brought to the Medical College late last night.
Official sources said today that Maksud Alam died when he was hit by a truck outside the stadium. His friend Mansur Alam said, "We had gone to see the match and as the lathi-charge began we fled for safety. But as we came out he was going to board a vehicle and was hit by a truck." The other body has been identified as Rashid (from Bihar).
On August 16, 1980 during the East Bengal-Mohun Bagan match at the Eden Gardens 16 people died and many more were injured. However, Mohammedan officials claimed that yesterday's deaths were the result of police lathi-charge. Club secretary Raju Ahmed said, "This has happened because of police's lathi-charge. Two of our supporters have died. At least 50 others were injured of whom two with grievious injuries have been admitted to Chittaranjan Hospital." As a mark of protest, the Mohammedan Sporting Club have decided to call an emergency executive body meeting to decide their course of action. Ahmed said that the club are discussing three alternatives: "The first one is that we won't play the finals of the Federation Cup; second, only the players and the coach would go to the ground while club officials and supporters would stay away, or third, if the authorities take the guarantee of the security of our supporters then we will play the final wearing black badges and ask the supporters to wear the same," he said.

Note-2: Baichung Bhutia is following into the footsteps of IM Vijayan, into the film world.
Baichung Bhutia and his East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick played themselves in the Bengali movie Kuasha (Bengali for fog). And when Baichung was asked whether he had plans to switch over to a career as an actor after retiring from football, he ironically said "you never know".

Note-3: The India U19 B probables have started arriving in Jamshedpur for the conditioning-cum-selection camp, which begins tomorrow. The 23-member India B probables would try to impress at the camp in preparation for the upcoming JRD U19 Tata Cup, scheduled in Jamshedpur from September 11-22. Most of the campers had missed berths in the under-18 team which was on a tour of the United Kingdom. The camp would be conducted by Satheevan Balan, assistant under national coach Stephen Constantine, while former India keeper Virender Singh would be working with the keepers.

Note-4: Anyone of you interested to buy an Indian football club???
Goan giants Churchill Brothers SC are up for sale, with a price-tag of Rs 50 million attached to them, if anyone wants to buys the club.
But the club is also still on the lookout for a sponsor and for that Mumbai's marketing company Percept D'Mark have been ropped in to handle their sponsorship dilemma, as the club continues to search for a sponsor.

5. August
25.Federation Cup - Semifinal: Mohammedan Sporting Club 0-0,5-4 Mohun Bagan AC (on penalties) - Goals: none.
MSC: KM Rafeeq, Amjad Ali Khan, Hussain Mustafi, Habib Adenkule, Amandeep Singh, Bungo Singh (Satish Bharti), Iqbal Shahnawaz Khan, Khalid Siddique, Syed Rahim Nabi (Arjan Ali), Dipendu Biswas, Sheikh Sanjib (Akbar Singh).
MOHUN BAGAN: Arindam Ghosh, Babun Kar, Harpreet Singh, Debkumar Sashmal, Manitombi Singh, Hardeep Singh Saini (Basudeb Mondal), Hardeep Singh Gill (Sunil Chetri), Chukwuma Olusegun Akuneto (Mehtab Hossain), Renedy Singh, Jose Barreto, Marcos Pereira.

Bangalore Super Division: ADE 1-1 515 Army Base Workshop - Goals: 1-0 Tajuddin (7'), 1-1 Chandrasekhar (55').
Guwahati Super Division: Guwahati Town Club 0-1 Assam Police Blues - Goal: 0-1 Lakhan Gayary (70').

Note-1: After the defeat in the Federation Cup semifinals against city rivals Mohammedan Sporting, Mohun Bagan coach Aloke Mukherjee was pushed around by club officials demanding explanations for his decisions during the match. One of these officials then pushed and shoved Aloke around with others joining in, before their attention moved to goalkeeping coach Atanu Bhattacharya. Senior players like captain Renedy Singh and Brazilian Jose Barreto intervened to take their coaches to safety away from the mob. Seasoned Bagan campaigner Basudeb Mondal was even accused of having been bribed to miss the penalty, not worthy for a player, who has given all to Bagan.

4. August
25.Federation Cup - Quarterfinal: East Bengal Club 0-1 Vasco SC - Goal: 0-1 Sushanth Mathew (85').
EAST BENGAL: Sandip Nandy, Dipankar Roy (Suley Musah), Mahesh Gawli, M Suresh, Debjit Ghosh, Subhas Chakraborty (Raman Vijayan), Malswam Tulunga, Douglas da Silva, Chandan Das (Bijen Singh), Mike Okoro, Baichung Bhutia.
VASCO: Saji Joy, Seby Dias, John Dias, Selwyn Fernandes, Vinu Jose, Kamal Thapa, Dennis Cabral, Menino Fernandes, Krishnan Ajayan, Mohammad Quizar (Levy Coelho), Agnelo Jose Gomes (Sushanth Mathew).

Bangalore Super Division: CIL 1-0 MEG - Goal: 1-0 Krishnakumar (32').
Guwahati Super Division: Assam Dynamo Club 5-1 Maharana AC - Goals: 0-1 Swister Momin (10'), 1-1,3-1 Padum Rabha (38',66'), 2-1 Moa Ao (41'), 4-1 Ranjit Das (73'), 5-1 Haresh Chetri (80').

Note-1: After a 40 hour journey back from the United Kingdom, the Indian under-18 national team got a hero's welcome when they arrived at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Calcutta. The youngsters had won the MM Ford Trophy at the Ian Rush international youth tournament in Wales last week, beating the junior side of Botafogo Rio de Janeiro in the final. Earlier the U18 boys had taken part in one of the most renowned junior tournaments in Europe, the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland, where the team among others had beaten the U18 team of Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kiev.
At the Calcutta Airport the boys where welcomed by the AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco, IFA secretary Subrata Dutta and as a surprise guest East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick along with a large media contingent.
Good to see so much media coverage for the boys. They deserve all credit for making India proud!!!

Note-2: The first-ever dope testing samples in an Indian domestic football tournament were taken today in Calcutta after the East Bengal-Vasco match of the ongoing Federation Cup.
The samples were collected from East Bengal's Dipankar Roy and Vasco's Agnelo Jose Gomes by FIFA medical officer for India and doping control board member Dr Nisith Chowdhury.
The match and the players were selected through a confidential draw of lots.
The samples would be sent to the FIFA-accredited laboratory in Penang, Malaysia, for the testing and results will be known in a weeks time.

Note-3: Seasoned former India captain Bruno Coutinho hopes to play for Fransa FC in the Goa Pro League, when it starts later this month. Bruno, who had coached Fransa last season in their 2.Division National League campaign, has since then given over the coaching job to TK Chathunny and hopes to make a return to the pitch after coming back from injury, which had kept him away from competitive football for over a year. Bruno had last played in the 6th National League 2001/02.

3. August
Goan U19 Championships - Final: Vasco SC 1-0 Dempo SC - Goals: 1-0 Vilas Morje.
Guwahati Super Division: Young Amateur Club 2-0 NF Railway SC - Goals: 1-0 Indra Basumatary (25'), 2-0 Lachit Rabha (80').
Mumbai Elite League: Western Railway 0-1 Haywards 2000-Holy Family - Goals: 0-1 Subhash Adilkar (81').

Note-1: After the heavy criticism regarding the ground conditions at the Saltlake Stadium - the West Bengal government, the AIFF and the IFA - are working together so that the remaining matches can be held according to the redrawn schedule.
Now even the AIFF top brass is in Calcutta, as president Das Munshi rushed over from Delhi, while secretary Alberto Colaco reached in the evening, alerted by the extend of the criticism, especially by East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick. But today Bhowmick sounded much more calm as he said, he was happy to see the AIFF and IFA reacting to his plea, and really were trying their best to make the ground match fit.
Earlier in the day Das Munshi together with IFA secretary Subrata Dutta inspected the ground, where work was in full swing to clear it of the "slush and muck". Work restarts early tomorrow, ahead of the match.

Note-2: Baichung Bhutia will get to know tomorrow from the AIFF, if his two month stint with Malaysian champions Perak FC will go through. Baichung's cause is being helped by the AIFF top brass, with secretary Alberto Colaco himself trying to work things out with FIFA.

Note-3: Seeing all the problems with the Saltlake Stadium ground during the monsoons, the AIFF president Das Munshi said he would write to the West Bengal government to install an Astroturf ground at Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, in southern Calcutta.
"According to a FIFA guideline, the game can be played on astroturf. This is already in place in countries like Malaysia and Japan. China is also set to start it from next year," Das Munshi told the Telegraph.
And further added, "We want Rabindra Sarobar Stadium exclusively for soccer. The state government's approval will be sought in this regard."
A move in the right direction (!), as the weather is and will remain a problem in India. Across the world test runs with Astroturf pitches have been successful and also the AIFF could then apply for a FIFA grant.

Note-4: Today at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur, a five-day seminar for football referees kicked-off, which will focus on unanimity in decisions taken during matches to check crowd violence.
The AIFF-organised seminar will be held in two phases, with the second part starting from August 10.
A total of 88 national referees from different parts of the country are participating in the first phase of the seminar.
The seminar is being conducted by MG Suvarno, secretary of the referees' board, AIFF and Asian Football Confederation instructors Milan Dutta and SS Shetty.

2. August
IAN RUSH TROPHY - Wales - Final: INDIA U18 3-0 Botafogo Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Goals: 1-0,3-0 Vimal Pariyar (9',51'), 2-0 Debabrata Roy (36').
The INDIA U18 national team has won the IAN RUSH TROPHY in Wales!!!
Our Juniors beat the junior side of Brazilian club side Botafogo Rio de Janeiro, against whom they had lost in the group stage.

25.Federation Cup - Quarterfinal: Mahindra United 3-0 Air-India - Goals: 1-0 James Singh (45+'), 2-0 Shanmugam Venkatesh (67'), 3-0 Raphael Patron Akakpo (85').
MAHINDRA: Sunder Raj Rajan, Odartey Lawson, Sanjay Parte, Arun Malhotra, Covan Lawrence (Jinto Jose), Rauf Khan, Jules Alberto, Shanmugam Venkatesh (Abhishek Yadav), Khalid Jamil, James Singh, Raphael Patron Akakpo.
AIR-INDIA: Raju Ekka, Santosh Koli (Appa Rao), Vinay Kuruvilla, Sagolsem Santa Singh, Uttam Leishangthem Singh, Mohammed Rizwan, Vijith Shetty, T Khambiton Singh, MK Binoop, Anthony Fernandes, Suprith Jathanna (Paresh Shivalkar).

Guwahati Super Division: Assam State Electricity Board 12-0 Rising XI - Goals: 1-0 Utpal Basumatary, 2-0,3-0,4-0 Suchungme Releng, Sanjiva Rongpi.
Mumbai Elite League: Central Railway 2-0 Bengal Mumbai FC

Note-1: Might Baichung Bhutia's planned two month on loan stint with Malaysian champions Perak FC fall through due to FIFA transfer ruling?
Baichung has finalised a two month deal with Perak FC but the deal will face a problem, as FIFA doesn't allow a loan deal of such sort duration. According to FIFA transfer ruling, a loan transfer would have to be of minimum six month's duration.
But the AIFF is in touch with FIFA and is trying to work out something in the interest of it's star player.
East Bengal have agreed to loan Baichung to Perak FC for $10,000.
Baichung will also will have to talk to national coach Stephen Constantine, as the training camp for the Afro-Asian Games starts October 1, which is before the end of the loan deal. But Baichung is sure of convincing Stephen...

Note-2: If the ground conditions at the Saltlake Stadium don't improve and the monsoon remains a menace, then the semifinals and final of the Federation Cup may be postponed by four-five days, as IFA secretary Subrata Dutta understands East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick's harsh demand that India's most important knockout tournament cannot be held under such circumstances.

1. August
IAN RUSH TROPHY - Wales - Semifinal: INDIA U18 4-1 Foothills United, Calgary, Canada

25.Federation Cup - Quarterfinal: Mohun Bagan AC 3-0 JCT Mills - Goals: 1-0 Jose Barreto (33'), 2-0,3-0 Renedy Singh (44',70').
MOHUN BAGAN: Arindam Ghosh, Babun Kar, Harpreet Singh, Debkumar Sashmal, Manitombi Singh, Hardip Singh Saini (Basudeb Mondal), Hardip Singh Gill (Abhay Kumar), Chukwuma Olusegun Akuneto, Renedy Singh, Jose Barreto (Sunil Chetri), Marcos Pereira.
JCT: Mansuru Mohammed, Jagjit Singh Randhawa, Musa Aliu, KV Dhanesh, Daljit Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Sukhjinder Singh (Shivraj Singh), Jo Paul Ancheri, Ram Pal (Jaswant Singh), Harvinder Singh (Charanjit Kumar), Stephen Abarowei.

Guwahati Super Division: Assam Police Blues 3-0 Maharana AC - Goals: 1-0 Amulya Das (24'), 2-0,3-0 Arun Daimari (34',44').
Mumbai Elite League: Mumbai Customs 1-1 Union Bank of India

Note-1: The slushy ground condition discussions continue at the Federation Cup in Calcutta but meanwhile East Bengal have send a formal letter to the local organisers IFA asking for a change in venue for its next match against Vasco SC on Monday, citing "bad ground conditions" at the Saltlake Stadium. East Bengal has done this on the request and a bit of push from their coach Subhas Bhowmick, who has even threatened to opt out of the tournament if the demand is not met or to quit as coach if he is forced to play under these circumstances by his club. Therefore East Bengal reacted with the letter to the IFA.
Bhowmick would like the match to be either held at the East Bengal Ground or the Howrah Stadium, where the ground conditions are much much better. Also Bhowmick is upset with the AIFF, who have "ignored the condition of the ground" in allowing the matches to continue daily.
Further Subhas Bhowmick said that his club wouldn't play in the Durand Cup and a second string side would participate in the IFA-Shield, so that the teams preparations for the AFC Champions League aren't hampered.

Note-2: Earlier the West Bengal Government had announced that it would fecilitate the ASEAN Club Cup winners East Bengal Club. The Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today announced that the reception would be held on August 17 at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Saltlake Stadium) in Calcutta. Also a dinner in honour of East Bengal team would be held by the government.
Further fecilitations are on the cards. The Calcutta Mayor Subrata Mukherjee had earlier announced that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation would also fecilitate East Bengal but no date has been finalised.