I-League 2nd Division: Four teams eye qualification for three Final Round spots with 1 game remaining

Its now or never for the I-League 2nd Division sides, as we head into the final day of the first round of matches. With only Jamshedpur FC and Chennaiyin FC (both in Group C) having finished their quota of matches, the rest of the teams are all set to give it one last push to make it to the final round of the competition.

Interestingly, as many as seven Indian Super League clubs have fielded their reserve teams in the I-League 2nd Division. While the criteria for making it to the final round will be to top the group or end up as the best second-placed finisher, the seven reserve sides will not be making next round.

With a total of four spots up for grabs, TRAU FC have already qualified for the final round, as they are assured of the top spot in Group C with 20 points. However, the care is still alive among Real Kashmir FC and Hindustan FC in Group A, and Ozone FC Bengaluru and FC Kerala in Group B; all the four teams are on 19 points, making the race even more interesting.

The tie-breaker mechanism

In case of teams tied on points, the following mechanism will be followed :

Greater number of points obtained in the matches between the Teams concerned
Goal difference resulting from the matches between the Teams concerned
Greater number of goals scored in the matches between the Teams concerned
Goal difference in all the matches
Greater number of goals scored in all the matches
Drawing of lots

On that note, let's take a look at what the league has in store for us for tomorrow.

The scenarios

Group A:

Real Kashmir are unbeaten and currently sit top of Group A with 19 points from nine games, having won five matches and drawn four.

Hindustan FC, from Delhi, are placed second with 19 points from 9 games as well but are behind Real Kashmir on the virtue of an inferior number of goals scored. The head-to-head stats among both the teams are even with an equal number of goals being scored between the two. The goal difference between the teams are also equal at six.

Head-to-head: Hindustan FC 0-0 Real Kashmir, Real Kashmir 3-3 Hindustan FC

Group B:

As things stand, Ozone FC Bengaluru are on top of the ladder with FC Kerala below them. The Bengaluru-based side have earned 19 points from nine games with five wins, four draws and have been unbeaten so far.

FC Kerala, on the other hand, have the same number of points (19) as Ozone FC Bengaluru but are behind the Bengaluru-based side on head-to-head stats.

Head-to-head: FC Kerala 0-2 Ozone FC Bengaluru; Ozone FC Bengaluru 1-0 FC Kerala

Group C:

Tiddim Road Athletic Union have already qualified for the main round by the virtue of being Group C toppers. The Imphal-based side eked out 20 points from nine games with six wins, two draws and one loss.

While Bengaluru FC Reserves could still catch the top two teams in each of Group A and Group B, they cannot make it to the final round by virtue of being a B team. The rest of the teams in Group C are too far behind the pack to make it to the last four.

Race for qualification: The key matches

Match 1: Fateh Hyderabad vs FC Kerala (Group B)

Venue: Anantapur RDT Stadium

Time: 4:15 PM IST

An important game for FC Kerala as far as their qualifications aspirations are concerned. The Thrissur-based side have to win the game and hope that Ozone FC Bengaluru fail to win in their game against Kerala Blasters Reserves in Bangalore.

Previous Encounter: FC Kerala got the better of Fateh Hyderabad in the Thrissur fixture with a 2-1 win on 17th March 2018.

Match 2: Ozone FC Bengaluru vs Kerala Blasters Reserves (Group B)

Venue: Bengaluru Football Stadium, Bengaluru

Time: 4:15 PM IST

Ozone FC Bengaluru need only a win over the Blasters Reserves side to join Tiddim Road Athletic Union in the main round. A win on Sunday for the Bengaluru-based side would mean the end of road for FC Kerala.

Previous Encounter: Ozone FC Bengaluru registered a big 4-1 win over Kerala Blasters Reserves in Kochi.

Match 3: Delhi United vs Hindustan FC (Group A)

Venue: Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi

Time: 4:15 PM IST

Hindustan FC have to win here with a considerable margin and score as many goals as possible in order to overtake Real Kashmir on goal difference and goals scored. The head-to-head stats between Real Kashmir and Hindustan FC are even.

Previous Encounter: Hindustan FC got the better of Delhi United 4-2 in New Delhi.

Match 4: FC Pune City Reserves vs Real Kashmir (Group A)

Venue: Pirangute Football Ground, Pune

Time: 4:15 PM IST

Real Kashmir have a similar scenario as Hindustan FC. The Kashmiri side have to win with by a good margin and score lots of goals in order to stay clear of Hindustan FC and qualify by virtue of better goal difference and/or a better goals-scored record.

Previous Encounter: Real Kashmir were held goalless by FC Pune City Reserves in Srinagar.

Other matches

Although only four teams are vying for the last three places in the main round in four key games in the afternoon, the rest of the twelve teams will also be in action at the same time in order to test their bench strength and finish the season on a high.

Match 5: Delhi Dynamos (R) vs Lonestar Kashmir, 4:15 PM IST, JLN Practice Ground, New Delhi.

Match 6: TRAU FC vs Langsning FC, 2:30 PM IST, Khuman Lampak Stadium, Imphal

Match 7: Mohammedan SC vs Bengaluru FC (R), 3:15 PM IST, Barasat Stadium, Kolkata

Match 8: Madhya Bharat SC vs FC Goa (R), 3:30 PM IST, JLU Ground, Bhopal

Prediction:

As things stand, Real Kashmir may prevail with a better goal difference and goals scored record compared to Hindustan FC in Group A. Ozone FC Bengaluru by the courtesy of a better head-to-head record over Blasters Reserves, may win and put FC Kerala out of the equation.

FC Kerala have a +9 goal difference, while Hindustan FC have a +6 goal difference, indicating that FC Kerala could qualify as the best runners-up. Both FC Kerala and Hindustan FC have to go full throttle and register big wins to stand any chances of qualification.

Edited by Soumo Ghosh