12 teams for 2nd Div NFL HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, Feb 10 - Raia Sporting has been left out of the Second Division National Football League, starting February 22, simultaneously at Jamshedpur and Bangalore.
The All India Football Federation has accommodated just 12 teams in the Second Division NFL, four of whom were part of last year's NFL. Churchill Bros find themselves in a tougher Group A, clubbed alongside the unpredictable State Bank of Travancore, Everready (Kolkata), Punjab Police, Tata Football Academy and Shimla Youngs (Delhi). Arlem sponsored Vasco Sports Club, on the otherhand, could have an easier passage into the final round having to negate the likes of Tollygunge Agragami, Assam Rifles, Army XI, Indian Bank (Chennai) and HAL (Bangalore). While Group A will be held at Tata Nagar (Jamshedpur), the remainder of the teams will sweat it out at Bangalore. Three teams from each group will qualify for the final round to be played at Bangalore, early April. As has been the norm, two teams from amongst the final six will qualify for the 11th edition of the National Football League, next season. Meanwhile, the Goa Football Association has strongly objected to Raia Sporting's absence from the Second Division qualifiers. GFA secretary Savio Messias made a strong case for Raia's inclusion, but the AIFF seemed to have already made up its mind. Messias said Raia Sporting deserved respect being the highest placed team, other than the NFL clubs, in Goa Professional League. "Vasco and Churchill Bros, both of whom were demoted, are automatic qualifiers. The Goa league is among the best contested in India, and going by the standard Raia Sporting deserve to be invited," Messias said in a letter to AIFF General Secretary Alberto Colaco. "Raia is a public club having access to a decent football stadium and quite a good fan following, besides fielding a team in the Goa U-18 league," Messias pointed out.
