• July 25, 2022

Kerala Blasters Fans beat Mumbai City FC Fans to win Indian football tournament held in London (Pictures)

LONDON July 25: Kerala Blasters Fans won a football tournament hosted for the Indian diaspora and British citizens on July 17 at Arbour Park in Slough, Berkshire, supported by the High Commission of India in the UK, as part of the celebrations for the 75th year of Indian Independence called Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The one-day event, hosted by Bengal Heritage Foundation (BHF), christened as the Indian Superfans League UK (ISL UK), is inspired by the Indian Super League (ISL).

The six clubs that participated in the tournament were East Bengal Fans, ATK Mohun Bagan Fans, Odisha FC Fans, Mumbai City FC Fans, FC Goa Fans and Kerala Blasters Fans. All matches were officiated by licensed referees affiliated to the Football Association (FA) in England.

After a series of closely contested group stage matches, Kerala Blasters Fans triumphed in a tight final against the fans of Mumbai City FC with the help of a late goal. Sajith Rajan, who led the champion team, said, “This was one of the best tournaments we’ve participated in recently. We’d like to congratulate everyone who was in the organising committee. The arrangements were of the highest standard – from high-class pitches to high standard of refereeing to a well-managed schedule.”

There were also two six-a-side exhibition matches, between the High Commission of India (HCI) and the Bengal Heritage Foundation, and between ATK Mohun Bagan Fans and East Bengal Fans. East Bengal triumphed against ATK Mohun Bagan while HCI managed to get the better of the BHF team.

The tournament was streamed live on BHF’s Facebook page and viewed by football enthusiasts across the globe. “We’re glad to have such a huge turnout on a day when the UK is experiencing a record-breaking heatwave. The purpose was to present a fun family day filled with football, shopping, food and to bring communities together. As we approach the 75th year of Indian Independence, it was delightful to see people from all over India who are living in the UK come together under one roof,” said Koushik Chatterjee, vice-president of BHF.

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