Puja fervour in Calcutta lands Bagan in trouble

Calcutta, Oct 12: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today awarded full points to Japan’s Jubilo Iwata club after rivals Mohun Bagan postponed the return leg tie in the Asian Club Cup Championship slated for October 16.

Mohun Bagan, the organisers of the tie, had on October 10 written a letter to the AIFF saying the match at the Salt Lake Stadium had to be postponed following the West Bengal state police’s refusal to grant permission. The state police had said that it was in no position to provide adequate number of personnel on October 16 as the day marked the beginning of the Durga Puja festival.

Gupta said the IFA yesterday held deliberations with state police director General Dipak Sanyal, who “refused to budge from his stand”.

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“We immediately informed the AIFF who apprised the AFC of the entire affair,” he added.

Bagan had suffered a humiliating 0-8 drubbing to titleholders Jubilo Iwata in the first leg match at Iwata in Japan on October nine.