I-League 2020-21 will witness a final day title race with three teams in the reckoning as Gokulam Kerala, TRAU and Churchill Brother set eyes to win the title.
Indian football fans are once again in for a final day league title race treat as Gokulam Kerala, TRAU and Churchill Brothers play their final round games on Friday in Kolkata. All three teams are in contention to win the title with several permutations in the mix.
Gokulam Kerala are top of the table
All three teams are tied on 26 points each and a series of results on Saturday can turn the tide for each of these teams. The difference between glory and despair, then, is marginal. Gokulam Kerala see themselves at the top of the table over Churchill Brothers and TRAU due to a head-to-head advantage over the other two teams. Kerala defeated Churchill Brothers 3-0 in the second fixture between the two teams before losing 2-3 to the Goan side in the main round of fixtures.
The Kerala side romped away to a 3-1 win over TRAU in the main round of fixtures and will face them again on Saturday at 5 PM IST. Gokulam Kerala will go into the clash with an advantage of independence from other results. If the Kozhikode-based side manage to eke out all three points against TRAU, they will win the league and consequently qualify for the AFC Cup 2022 Group Stage.
Churchill Brothers fail to capitalise
The Goan side finished the main round with four points clear on top and looked firm favourites to go away with the title in the championship round as well. However, a sudden drop in form in the middle of the season, including losses to Gokulam Kerala and Mohammedan SC, led them to slip away in the title race.
Luka Majcen has played a prominent part in Churchill Brother’s impressive I-League run and will be crucial to Santiago Varela’s plans on Saturday. Churchill Brothers will face Roundglass Punjab FC in Kolkata and will have to win all three points to stay in the race for the title. A draw between Gokulam Kerala and TRAU FC will lead to the Goan side winning the title.
TRAU lose steam in the business end of the season
The Manipuri side has been exceptional in the main round so far. Led by striker Bidyasagar Singh, TRAU looked all set to win the league title in the penultimate round. However, a 1-1 draw with Churchill Brothers and a win for Gokulam Kerala FC over Mohammedan SC meant that the Imphal-based side dropped to third place in the table despite an exceptional league run.
TRAU will hope to win the final round fixture over Gokulam Kerala FC and simultaneously hope Churchill Brothers do not get all three points over Roundglass Punjab FC.
What next for the I-League
The I-League champions will earn the right to represent India in the AFC Cup 2022 in the next season in the South Asian Group. As per the roadmap discussed by AIFF and AFC, I-League champions will get to play in the AFC Cup till the 2022-23 season as a special dispensation. The champions will also be preferred as the leading bid document winners to win a place in the Indian Super League 2021-22 as part of the Indian football roadmap earlier agreed by FSDL, AIFF and AFC.
Predictions
Gokulam Kerala FC have found a long lost form in the business end of the season and should manage to win over TRAU on Saturday, ending all possible permutations and comfortably winning the league.
