Aizawl need just a draw against Shillong Lajong to become first team from the North East to emerge I League champions. If they lose today's match and Mohun Bagan beat Chennai FC in Chennai in a simultaneous match, the Kolkata giants will be crowned the champions.
Aizawl Football Club, which is on the cusp of creating history, will be playing its title- deciding I-League match against Shillong Lajong under protest due to the appointment of match officials from Bengal. Aizawl Football Club lodged a complaint with AIFF against the appointment, saying it was "unfair" since the other title contenders Mohun Bagan are also playing a crucial match in Chennai at the same time.
Aizawl need just a draw against Shillong Lajong to become first team from the North East to emerge I League champions. If they lose today's match and Mohun Bagan beat Chennai FC in Chennai in a simultaneous match, the Kolkata giants will be crowned the champions.
"All the match officials -- the referee, the two linesman and the fourth referee -- for the are from West Bengal. Aizawl FC and Mohun Bagan are title contenders and so it is unfair and unbecoming of the AIFF to appoint match officials from Bengal for this match involving my club," Aizawl FC owner Robert Royte told PTI from Shillong.
"In fact, we had written on April 17 to the AIFF not to appoint any match official belonging to the Northeast and Bengal for the last two rounds of the I-League involving Aizawl and Mohun Bagan. Despite that written submission, we came to know this afternoon that all the match officials of our match today are from Bengal."
Royte said that he filed a complaint in the afternoon itself but for the "good of India football" his club decided to play the match "under protest". "Some top officials from the AIFF came to my hotel in Shillong and requested to play the match and promised that they will ensure that there was fair play on the field. So, we have decided to play the match under protest."
Aizawl had beaten Mohun Bagan 1-0 in Aizawl in the previous round match and that has put the Northeastern club in an advantageous position. Till that match in Aizawl, both were on equal points.
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