Five I-League matches to be held in Delhi

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posted on 11 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Four matches to be played at the Ambedkar stadium and one match - ONGC vs Mohun Bagan on November 9 - at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

New Delhi: Big time football returns to Delhi when ONGC play their home match of the I-League in a round three match against Prayag United on October 26 at the Ambedkar Stadium.

Five I-League matches will be played here, four at the Ambedkar stadium and one match - ONGC vs Mohun Bagan on November 9 - at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Newly promoted ONGC, coached by Caetano Pinho, are playing their home matches in Delhi as the Cooperage ground in Mumbai is not yet ready for resumption of matches.

New-look ONGC have a fine Japanese recruit in Yuki Katsu besides established players like former international Jatin Bisht and Bilfrang Nazary. ONGC's October 26 opponents, Prayag United have some big names in their ranks in Costa Rica's 2006 World Cup player Carlos Hernandez, top scorer of the last two editions of the I-League Ranty Martins and Indian stars Subrata Pal, Gouramangi Singh, Lal Kamal Bhowmick and Lester Fernandez.

In their next fixture on November 4, ONGC meet Durand Cup champions Air India, coached by former international Godfrey Pereira, also at the Ambedkar stadium. Mohun Bagan, with strikers Odafe Okolie and Tolgay Ozbey and internationals Syed Rahim Nabi, Jewel Raja and Nirmal Chettri will take on ONGC at Nehru Stadium on November 9.

On November 16, ONGC play against holders Dempo who have the likes of Rohan Ricketts (who has played in Arsenal junior team), recently retired Climax Lawrence and Mahesh Gawli and international wingers Clifford Miranda and Anthony Pereira.

In the last match on December 8, ONGC will take on Sporting Clube de Goa at Ambedkar Stadium. In the late 1990s, JCT played some of their home matches at the Ambedkar stadium in the National Football League as it was known then. The I-League was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2007 at Ambedkar Stadium.

Meanwhile, Delhi Soccer Association has made arrangements to host these home matches of ONGC. DSA has convened a meeting of its managing committee on Monday at 5.3Opm at Ambedkar Stadium to take stock of the preparations.