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The Chennaiyin FC Under-15 team commences its 2018-19 Hero Junior League playoff round against Aizawl FC at the Naihati Stadium on Monday with kick-off at 4pm. Chennaiyin FC’s other opponents in the play-off round Group B are Thane – Football School of India and Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) Football Academy, whom they face on Wednesday, May 15 and Friday, May 17 respectively. Chennaiyin FC progressed to the play-off round of the competition after finishing second in the Chennai zone. The winner of the playoff round progresses to the final round Group A, the fixtures for the same commencing on Monday, May 20 in Kolkata.
If Chennaiyin FC do progress to the final round of the competition, they will face Bengaluru’s Stadium Sports Foundation (May 20), Minerva Punjab FC (May 22) and Imphal’s Birachandra Memorial Sporting Club (May 24) in Group A; and compete for a place in the semis.
The Chennaiyin FC U-15s finished second in the Chennai zone following five wins, two draws a solitary loss, finishing just a point behind FC Madras, who secured direct qualification to the final round. Chennaiyin FC have conceded just three goals so far, thus boasting the best defensive record in the zone. It was a team effort all over the pitch, as ten different scorers netted for Chennaiyin FC, with Chennai boy Mohammed Liyaakath the top scorer with six goals.
Chennaiyin FC will however be without Liyaakath’s services, who is away with the India U-16 team in Goa for a training camp. Liyaakath has represented the India U-16 side earlier this year and is one of many budding talents at Chennaiyin FC to be promoted to the U-15s from the U-13 team from last year. While Liyaakath won’t feature in the play-off round, other promoted boys will, including defender Caron Kennedy, the versatile Rahul K. Manjula and striker K. Suriya who impressed in the zonal campaign. Seven boys from the entire 20-man Chennaiyin FC squad for the play-off round have been promoted from the U-13s from last year. Also, all the 20 boys hail from Tamil Nadu, coming from different regions of the state.
A second consecutive year under the tutelage of Head Coach Aldroy Atkinson, the Chennaiyin FC U-15s will be aiming to feature again in the final round, having qualified directly in their debut season last time out after an unbeaten record in the Chennai zone.
“The U-15 boys must view the play-off round challenge as an opportunity to gain more exposure and playing time against top quality opposition. They need to stick to the basics and work hard, and the results will follow. It is also heartening to see local Tamil Nadu talent coming through our ranks and I wish the U-15s all the best for the play-off round challenge,” said Syed Sabir Pasha, Technical Director of Youth Development and First Team Assistant Coach.
Chennaiyin FC U-15 boys
Goalkeepers
Aron R. (Tuticorin), C.H.N. Amarishwar (Chennai)
Defenders
Taufiq Ahamed (Coimbatore), Aravind Karthickeyan (Chennai), Manish Kumar (Chennai), N. Sivamani (Dindigul), P. Kuganeshwaran (Chennai), Caron Kennedy (Thanjavur)
Midfielders
Rahul Manjula (Chennai), Sathish Kumar (Karaikudi), Deepak Thapamogar (Chennai), N. Suriya (Karaikudi), Harsha Vardhan R.S. (Coimbatore), Allen Rajkumar (Chennai), J. Vamsi Krishna (Chennai), Vignesh Kumar (Chennai)
Forwards
Kishore R.A. (Chennai), Yugan S. (Neyveli), V. Siddharth (Chennai), K. Suriya (Chennai)
Officials
Aldroy Atkinson (Head Coach)
Chennaiyin FC U-15s’ Hero Junior League 2018-19 Playoff Round Fixtures – Group B:
13-May-2019: Chennaiyin FC U-15s vs Aizawl FC U-15s – Naihati Stadium, Kolkata – 4pm
15-May-2019: Thane – Football School of India vs Chennaiyin FC U-15s – Naihati Stadium, Kolkata – 8:30am
17-May-2019: Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) Football Academy vs Chennaiyin FC U-15s – Naihati Stadium, Kolkata – 4pm
