'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Three foreign teams will be participating in this year’s IFA Shield and the biggest name is undoubtedly Singapore’s Geylang International FC.
They are two-time S-League champions with their first title coming in the inaugural edition in 1996. The club were called Geylang United between 1996 and 2012 but rebranded to Geylang International after that. As Geylang United, they also reached the semi-finals of inaugural AFC Cup in 2004 when they were narrowly knocked out by Syria’s Al Wahda.
On their way to the semis, Geylang played East Bengal in the group stage and finished second in the group behind the Kolkata giants. They lost the home match 3-2 but held the red-and-gold brigade to a 1-1 draw at the Salt Lake Stadium and their head coach at that time was Scott O Donell, who is now the AIFF academies technical director.
Nicknamed as the Eagles, Geylang are not the force they used to be now as they finished ninth in the S-League last year. But they can certainly be expected to fare the best among the foreign trio especially as unlike some teams in previous editions of the IFA Shield, the Singapore club will be coming with their full strength squad with the matches giving them ideal preparation for the 2014 S-League.
Geylang’s travelling squad will consist of their five foreigners – three Argentinians and two Japanese players – and three Singapore international midfielders Mustaqim Manzur, Hafiz Nor and Aliff Shafaein.
The other two foreign teams of the 118th IFA Shield are Bangladesh’s Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and South Korean third tier outfit Busan Transportation Corporation FC.
The invitations of Geylang and Busan were facilitated by Kolkata-based sports management company High Life Management and both those teams have been placed in Group A alongside the competition’s most successful club East Bengal and defending champions United SC.
Group B comprises Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Shillong Lajong. The eight-team tournament starts on January 29 with the top two from each group progressing to the semis. Both semi-finals are scheduled for February 8th and the final is three days later.
Just like the Calcutta Football League (CFL), the IFA Shield will also be shown live on Star Jalsha movies.
