Minerva boycott Super Cup tie

BHUBANESWAR: The country’s premier knock-out football tournament, Super Cup, was on Friday thrown into jeopardy after Minerva Punjab did not turn up for the first match of the qualification round, prompting the national federation to describe it as a “crazy” and “unacceptable” move.

Former I-league champions Minerva did not take the field on Friday against Indian Super League side Pune City FC. The Punjab side had also skipped the mandatory pre-match press conference on Thursday.

However, Friday’s second qualification round match between ISL side Kerala Blasters and I-league club Indian Arrows was played.

The situation is set to get worsen on Saturday as I-league sides Gokulam Kerala and Aizawl FC said they will not play their respective qualification round matches against Delhi Dynamos and Chennaiyin FC.

Gokulam and Aizawl did not turn up for pre-match press conference on Friday. Aizawl FC said that they will not play against ISL side Chennaiyin FC on Saturday.

“As of now, we are not going to play against Chennaiyin on Saturday. Nothing has come from the side of the AIFF and it seems nothing is going to happen also. We (eight clubs) will remain united and we will take a collective decision,” Aizawl FC’S Technical Director and Team Manager D Hmingthana said.

A cloud of uncertainty had already hung over tournament after eight I-league clubs decided to pull out, citing unfair treatment by the AIFF. But interestingly, three of the eight protesting clubs — Minerva, Gokulam and Aizawl — which were to play in the qualification round (on March 15 and 16) had come here with their teams.

AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said Minerva’s decision to boycott the match would harm the game in the country.