I-LEAGUE Media Team

NEW DELHI: Aizawl FC start proceedings in the 2nd Division League 2014-15 as they take on LoneStar Kashmir FC in their opening encounter at the SSB Ranidanga Stadium in Siliguri on March 29.

All the squad members of the Aizawl-based outfit are local Mizo players except three (3) foreigners (1 Liberian and 2 Nigerians). The team has been undergoing a rigorous training regime at the artificial turfs of Iconic AR Ground (Lammual Stadium), Aizawl, just after the Mizoram Premier League 2014-15 was won by the club in December 2014.

It is worth mentioning that Aizawl FC in collaboration with NECS (the leading consultancy & construction firm in Mizoram) has six (6) football academies across Mizoram. The club has its own football ground wherein a world class Residential Football Academy building is under construction @ 500 lakhs INR at North Lungleng, outskirt of Aizawl City.

The club plans to select the cream of talents from various academies for admission into its premier residential academy called the NECS AIZAWL FC Academy. A good number of the present young players of the club are the Aizawl FC Academy graduates. The success of the Club could be attributed to its strong youth development program.

Aizawl FC players, champions of the Mizoram Premier League 2014-15, represented Mizoram in the recently concluded National Games and have won Gold in football for Mizoram. It is the first time that the Mizoram State grabbed Gold in the National Games Football.

Aizawl FC have won trophies in all leading tournaments in Mizoram and two major championship outside the state during 2014-15 season as below:-

1. Mizoram Premier League 2014-15 – Champions trophy.
2. IGAR football trophy, Assam – Champions Trophy.
3. Independent Day Football Tournament, Mizoram – Runners’ Up Trophy.
4. MFA Cup 2014, Mizoram (Aizawl FC Jr. Team) – Runners Up Trophy.
5. National Games, Kerala 2015 – Gold Medal. (Aizawl FC represented Mizoram).

The Manager of the team, Hmingthana, said – “The uniqueness of Aizawl FC is that unlike other 2nd Division clubs, the same players who played for the various tournaments will play 2nd Division League with vital reinforcements by Alfred, a former captain of Mohammedan Sporting; R.Malsawmtluanga, the best player of MPL 2013-14 and Kenneth Hmar a former Goalkeeper of Aizawl FC.

“I hope that a good combination and high morale of the players will bring victories in the matches against the other clubs all of which recruit many new players on the verge of the league. As all teams are supposed to be good, we at Aizawl FC rely on the team work, courage and endurance coupled with the skills and experience present here, and I hope that will make a difference.”

(with inputs from Aizawl FC)