‘Worried’ Real Kashmir to uphold Durand Cup commitment
Some players and members of the support staff flew from Srinagar to New Delhi on Monday evening en route Kolkata, said team co-owner Sandeep Chattoo.
football Updated: Aug 05, 2019 23:50 IST
Real Kashmir will keep their commitment to the 129th Durand Cup, team co-owner Sandeep Chattoo said. Some players and members of the support staff flew from Srinagar to New Delhi on Monday evening en route Kolkata, said Chattoo on Monday afternoon. “We are very worried about the situation at home but as a professional football team, we will keep our commitment to the Durand Cup,” said Chattoo over the phone from New Delhi.
The team’s foreigner players and the foreign members of the coaching staff are in Kalyani, near Kolkata, said Chattoo. Scot Dave Robertson is the team’s coach and his assistant Jimmy Lindsay too is British. Robertson’s son Mason, 25, is a key player in the team. Mason is a centre-back who can also play up the park. Scottish winger Kallum Higginbotham, 30, too has signed for Real Kashmir this term.
The Robertsons, father and son, Bazie Armand and Higginbotham are among the foreigners who checked in on Saturday, said an official at the team hotel in Kalyani over the phone on Monday. The squad for 2019-20 has six imports, said Chattoo.
The Real Kashmir co-owner said he reached New Delhi on Sunday and was supposed to fly out to Kolkata on Monday evening. “But with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir being what it is, it was difficult to arrange for our players to fly out, so I am now taking a later flight to Kolkata on Monday night,” he said.
Real Kashmir open their Durand Cup campaign against I-League champions Chennai City FC in Kalyani on Wednesday. FC Goa and Army Green are the other teams in Group C.
BFC held
Bengaluru FC (BFC) reserves needed an 82nd minute penalty from central midfielder and new signing Suresh Wangjam to hold Army Red 1-1 on Monday. Wangjam was part of the India under-17 World Cup squad and with Indian Arrows for four seasons before joining BFC. Army Red had forged ahead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time through Liton Shil.
ATK draw
Prabir Das’ 88th minute penalty helped ATK salvage a 1-1 draw in their opening match against Indian Navy. Against an ATK team that had India central defender Salam Ranjan Singh and a string of ISL players such as Komal Thatal, Hitesh Sharma, Prabir Das and Cavin Lobo, Indian Navy scored first through Harikrishna AU in the 19th minute.
First Published: Aug 05, 2019 23:48 IST