Tata Football Academy Jamshedpur

Tata Football Academy cadets in training
Source: www.thehindubusinessline.com

We’re now well into the Hero Under-15 Youth League for Groups A & B. Having started off without any known or recognised favourites a little over a month ago, the stronger teams are gradually putting some distance between themselves and the chasing pack.

One of the biggest surprises, however, has been the underwhelming performances of an institution that has prided itself in producing India’s best footballers – Tata Football Academy. Languishing at the bottom of Kolkata-Jamshedpur Zone (Group A), with one draw and three losses from their four outings, it’s not the results that have been disappointing, it’s the performances too. In the four games played, TFA haven’t yet managed to score and, worse still, have allowed 11 goals in. True, these are still very young boys with a lot of football to be played in their careers, but from a development perspective, TFA seem to have their work cut out.

 

The highlight of this week’s action from Group A is definitely the game between Mohammedan Sporting and East Bengal. Having swapped table positions a few times already, these are the two teams, along with SAI-East, that are battling for 2nd spot in the group. Elsewhere, table-toppers, United SC, play away to struggling Mohun Bagan in Group A’s early Friday evening kick-off. Finally, TFA travel to SAI-East in an effort to win back some pride.

Group B’s Friday kick-off sees high-flyers, Pune FC playing away at bottom-placed Kenkre FC, while PIFA Sports battle DSK Shivajians on Sunday and Mumbai FC hosting Steadfast Mumbai Rush SC on Monday evening with both games to be played at Cooperage.

In the Goa Zone (Group C), Salgaocar FC take on Sporting Clube de Goa at home in a bid to claim top spot in the group  on Saturday evening at Assolna Ground while Dempo Sports Club host SAI-Goa on Monday at Navelim to tighten their grip on pole position in the zone.

Here’s this week’s fixture list: