Five teams — Mohammedan Sporting and Bhawanipur FC from Kolkata, Garhwal FC (Delhi), FC Bengaluru United and Ahmedabad-based ARA FC — will fight it out in the Hero I-League Qualifiers, which officially kicks off competitive sporting action in the country on Thursday after more than six months of moratorium owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tournament will be played in a round-robin format and the side topping the standings will move into the I-League proper, which will also be played in the different venues in city and its outskirts later this year. The tournament will also offer a test of the bio-bubble concept, which is about placing all the eligible players, support staff and officials in a bio-secure atmosphere till the end of the tournament, which is October 19.
The first match — scheduled for 12.30 p.m. at the Kalyani Stadium — will feature two strong sides in Bhawanipur and Bengaluru United, who have built their sides with recruits from the I-League big names.
“This tournament is a big effort at returning us all to our daily lives, which is playing football,” said Sankarlal Chakraborty, the former Mohun Bagan coach currently in charge of Bhawanipur.
Under quarantine
Chakraborty will miss Liberian forward Ansumana Kromah, who has been quarantined after testing positive twice. Discussions justifiably hovered around the pandemic and its effect on football. “Most of the best practices that come with the COVID safety regulations are part of the new normal and have become second nature for our squad by now,” FC Bengaluru head coach Richard Hood said.
In the other match of the day, the 129-year-old Mohammedan Sporting takes on a relative newcomer Garhwal at the Salt Lake Stadium at 4 p.m.
Sporting looks a strong contender for the qualification spot and has prepared well under former Punjab FC coach Yun Law.
