DECISIVE FIXTURES RESCHEDULED
With the I- League title race still wide open, the All India Football Federation on Thursday altered dates of matches involving championship contenders Minerva Punjab FC, East Bengal and Neroca FC to ensure all three will be in action on the same day.
According to the original schedule, debutants Neroca, currently leading the points table, were to play their last match on February 27 against East Bengal in Kolkata but that game has now been postponed to March 8.
Minerva Punjab’s last match against Churchill Brothers at Panchkula will be played on March 8, the same day and the same time as that of East Bengal and Neroca FC.
The last day of the I- League will see the three title contenders playing at same time so as to avoid any chances of possible result manipulation.
In the third change, East Bengal’s penultimate round match against Shillong Lajong in Shillong has been pushed back by one day to March 5 from original March 4 and the timing of the match has also changed from 2pm to 5: 30pm.
Neroca have 31 points from 17 matches while Minerva Punjab are second with 29 points from 15 matches. East Bengal are third with 26 points from 15 matches.
Meanwhile, defending champions Aizawl FC will be aiming to jump to fifth with a win over bottom- placed Indian Arrows in Aizawl on Friday.