KOLKATA: The business end of the Hero I-League, that is, Phase II is all set to begin on Friday at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan where Real Kashmir FC and Churchill Brothers FC will get the proceedings underway at 2 pm.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the matches in the Hero I-League are being staged across four venues this season – the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), the Kishore Bharati Krirangan (KBK), and the Mohun Bagan Ground in Kolkata, and the Kalyani Municipal Stadium (KMS) in Kalyani, West Bengal. The 11 clubs will continue to operate from within the bio-bubble in Kolkata.
Based on the results in Phase I, the teams have been divided into two groups – Group A and B. While the teams that finished in the top six in Phase I will move into Group A and will fight for the Hero I-League title; those in the bottom five will be locked in a relegation battle in Group B.
Both teams in the respective groups will face each other once in a round-robin league format.
The action in Group A kicks off at the VYBK on March 5 at 2 pm with Real Kashmir FC taking on Churchill Brothers FC, while that of Group B will begin on March 6 at 2 pm as Chennai City FC take on Sudeva Delhi FC.
The matches will be broadcast on the 1Sports channel and streamed live on the 1Sports Facebook page.
AIFF Leagues CEO Sunando Dhar said, “This is a completely new format, something that no team in the Hero I-League has experienced so far. Seeing how close the teams have been so far, we are definitely expecting an exciting fight on the cards – be it the fight to be crowned champions, or a relegation scrap.”
HERO I-LEAGUE PHASE II FIXTURES
GROUP A: March 5: Real Kashmir FC vs Churchill Brothers FC (VYBK, 2 pm); Mohammedan SC vs TRAU FC (KMS, 4.05 pm); RoundGlass Punjab FC vs Gokulam Kerala FC (KMS, 7 pm); March 10: RoundGlass Punjab FC vs Mohammedan SC (VYBK, 2 pm); Real Kashmir FC vs TRAU FC (KMS, 4.05); Churchill Brothers FC vs Gokulam Kerala FC (KMS, 7 pm); March 15: Gokulam Kerala FC vs Real Kashmir FC (VYBK, 2 pm); TRAU FC vs RoundGlass Punjab FC (KMS, 4.05 pm); Churchill Brothers FC vs Mohammedan SC (KMS, 7 pm); March 21: TRAU FC vs Churchill Brothers FC (KBK, 2 pm); Mohammedan SC vs Gokulam Kerala FC (KMS, 4.05 pm); RoundGlass Punjab FC vs Real Kashmir FC (KMS, 7 pm); March 27: Gokulam Kerala FC vs TRAU FC*; Real Kashmir FC vs Mohammedan SC*; Churchill Brothers FC vs RoundGlass Punjab FC*.
GROUP B: March 6: Chennai City FC vs Sudeva Delhi FC (KBK, 2 pm); Indian Arrows vs NEROCA FC (KMS, 7 pm); March 11: NEROCA FC vs Aizawl FC (KBK, 2 pm); Indian Arrows vs Chennai City FC (KMS, 7 pm); March 16: Aizawl FC vs Indian Arrows (KBK, 2 pm); Sudeva Delhi FC vs NEROCA FC (KMS, 7 pm); March 20: Sudeva Delhi FC vs Indian Arrows (VYBK, 2 pm); Chennai City FC vs Aizawl FC (KMS, 7 pm); March 26: NEROCA FC vs Chennai City FC*; Aizawl FC vs Sudeva Delhi FC*.
*The venues and kick-off timings of the final round are yet to be decided.
Hero I-League 20-21 POINTS TABLE
Phase – 2 Group A
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Churchill Brothers FC Goa | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 22 |
| Real Kashmir FC | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 17 |
| Mohammedan SC | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 16 |
| Gokulam Kerala FC | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 16 |
| RoundGlass Punjab FC | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 18 |
| Tiddim Road Athletic Union | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 16 |
Group B
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Aizawl FC | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| Sudeva Delhi FC | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| Chennai City FC | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 9 |
| NEROCA FC | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Indian Arrows | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 |
