Thursday , March 28 2024

India XI beat IFA XI 1-0 in Kolkata exhibition match!

An AIFF India XI overcame an Indian Football Association (IFA) XI 1-0 in a 50 minute exhibition match at the Saltlake Stadium in Kolkata on Monday evening.

Only a day after assembling for their preparatory camp in Kolkata for the forthcoming International Friendlies against Nepal in Kathmandu, the Indian Men’s Senior National Team held a morning fitness session at their team hotel and then in the afternoon played the exhibition match against an IFA XI.

The game was held on the occasion of the Khela Hobe Divas on the 41st anniversary of 16 football fans dying on August 16, 1980 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

India head coach Igor Stimac gave all players playing time as the squad went into this exhibition game without even a training session together, but it wasn’t about the game but rather about the cause of the day.

The winner came towards the end of the game with left-back Akash Mishra winning the ball on the left, cutting in and then taking a placed shot past IFA XI keeper Priyant Singh to hand the India XI the win.

Now the focus of head coach Igor Stimac and the India probables squad will be to prepare for the Nepal friendlies, while numerous players are missing as they play for their club sides, ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC, in the 2021 AFC Cup – South Zone in the Maldives before they join the camp.

Watch the match highlights below!

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