Corbett FC eager to take on ARA FC in their maiden appearance in I-League qualifiers

Making their maiden appearance in the I-League qualifiers 2021, Corbett FC are all set to impress in their opening Pool B match against ARA FC on Tuesday, here in Bengaluru.

Taking on an experienced side like ARA FC from Gujarat, Corbett FC's head coach Caetano Infancio De Souza Pinho expressed confidence in his side's abilities to begin their campaign with three points on the board.

"We are looking forward to a positive result in our first match. There is no easy team here in the Hero I-League Qualifiers and there could be some surprises for us. But we are looking forward to start well," the I-League website quoted Pinho as saying.

Having arrived in Bengaluru with a vision to put Uttarakhand on the footballing map of India, Pinho expressed that the team has prepared for the qualifiers with all earnestness.

"Our training has been good in the pre-season. The team has adapted well to each other and the boys have done a wonderful job to gel well as one unit. We understand there are a lot of veterans in the tournament and competing against them will not be easy," said Pinho.

The Ahmedabad Racquets Academy FC (ARA FC), on the other hand, have been making rapid strides in the Indian footballing ladder and they have arrived in Bengaluru for the I-League qualifiers with an intent to make it to the summit as winners.

"We have played in this tournament four times and we are here not to just compete but to actually prove ourselves. Most of the players have experience and it is actually the players who decide the fate of the team," said midfielder Bala Dahir Alhassan.

Having been a regular feature in the I-League qualifiers since 2019, the ARA FC head coach Vivek Nagul emphasised on transitioning into the I-League first division with a strong outing here in Bengaluru.

"Firstly, I would like to congratulate Corbett FC. Their presence in the tournament is a good boost for football in northern India. We have a lot of respect for this team. No doubt they will be the underdogs in this tournament but for us, it is really important that we prove ourselves," Nagul said during the pre-match virtual press conference.

Both teams will be looking to get their first points on the board in the first Group B encounter in the preliminary round of the I-League qualifiers 2021.

( With inputs from ANI )

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