After a fairytale run in the I-League that saw them emerge triumphant for the first time, Aizawl FC will be hoping to continue their good work in the Federation Cup when they take on Chennai City FC in their opening game at the Barabati stadium here on Sunday.
The Mizoram-based side is on a high after their phenomenal run in the league, but will have to be wary of Chennai, a team that seemed to have found the right combination towards the final stages of their league campaign. And if their final league game against Mohun Bagan is anything to go by, one can be sure that Chennai will make life difficult for Aizawl on Sunday.
The 2017 edition of the tournament will be played on a league-cum-knockout basis, unlike the pervious year where the organisers had opted for a knock-out competition. The top eight teams from the I-League are divided into the two groups with the top two sides qualifying for the semifinals.
Group A consist of league champions Aizawl, East Bengal, Chennai and Churchill Brothers, while Group B is made up of Bagan, Bengaluru FC, Shillong Lajong and DSK Shivajians.
Later on Sunday, East Bengal will lock horns with Churchill Brothers in the other Group A game.
Agencies
Groupings: Group A: Aizawl FC, Chennai City FC, East Bengal, Churchill Brothers
Group B: Bengaluru FC, Mohun Bagan, Shillong Lajong, DSK Shivajians.
Fixtures: East Bengal vs Churchill Brothers (4:00 PM); Aizawl FC vs Chennai City FC (7:00 PM).