AIFF Media Team
MARGAO: As if rubbing shoulders with Robert Pires and meeting Zico was not enough, the AIFF U-19 Elite Academy will now be travelling to Malaysia to play against teams like Tottenham Hotspur and Estudiantes in the Frenz United International Cup FIC U-18 Tournament starting January 3 till January 15 next year.
“This will be a wonderful experience for our boys to get a feel of an international tournament and also playing against top youth teams of the likes of Tottenham,” Head Coach Shabir Pasha told www.the-aiff.com.
“Our boys are raring to go and after good four months of playing in the Durand Cup, U-19 I-League and also against FC Goa, they are high on confidence. Let’s see what happens in Malaysia.”
Sixteen teams will be divided into four groups with two teams from each group making it to the quarter finals. Two groups will be based in Malaysia while the other two in Indonesia.
AIFF Elite Academy Boys are clubbed with Sours, Argentine Premier Club Estudiantes, and hosts Frenz United Malaysia U-18.
Other big fishes in the tournament include Valencia, Liverpool, Besiktas, FC Porto.
The Boys in blue will open their account against Estudiantes on January 4, followed by Spurs on 6th and ending with Frenz United Malaysia on 8th.
If they reach the quarters, it will be played on January 10 next year. The semis are on 12th followed by the final on 14th.
So far the boys kicked off their season with the 127th Edition of Durand Cup in October 2014 in Goa, which proved to be a litmus test for them.
Before their setback in the third place of preliminary round against SESA FA 1-1 (POS 3-4); they comprehensively annihilated Goa Velha and YCC Chandigarh in the opening stages of the Knockout round.
In the wheezing pause before the kick-off to the AIFF U-19 I-league competition, the AIFF Elite academy went astray 4-0 and 3-4 to Indian Super League semifinalists FC GOA. The Zico coached team though was very impressed with the performance of the youngsters.
‘They play like ones in Brazil’ is what the legendary Brazilian said post the second match.
“He was very impressed with the boys,” Coach Pasha informed.
“It was a great learning experience for the boys to have played against Robert Pires,” he added.
The AIFF Elite Academy's voyage to triumph was recuperated with a splendid performance and undisputable run in the Under 19 I-league by whipping out SESA FA, Dempo SC and Sporting Clube de Goa in the qualifying round of GOA Zone. The Boys have presently won all their three home matches and are top of the points table.
AIFF Elite Academy’s Group D matches
V Estudiantes, January 4.
V Tottenham Hotspur, January 6
V Frenz United Malaysia, January 8.
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