Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 7

After a gap of almost three years, Chandigarh Football Academy (CFA) lads will play two practice matches against the Indian U-16 probables from April 15 to 17, at Madgaon football stadium in Goa.

In 2015-16, the CFA lads played a three-match series with the U-17 World Cup probable squad. It was only after these matches, a total of six CFA players were included in the World Cup probable squad.

The upcoming two practice matches will be also important for the CFA players, as they failed to showcase their talent during the last year's North-Zone Sub-Junior National Championship. The local team was disqualified from the championship after finding guilty for fielding an overage player. “The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has allowed us to play two matches with the Indian U-16 probables. We hope that atleast five or six local players will get selected in the national squad. The CFA has already produced over 50 international players and keeping in mind this past record, the AIFF has given our boys a platform to perform,” said Harjinder Singh, Coach CFA.

The squad will for Goa on April 14. “Our players failed to get a deserving platform after the local team was disqualified from the nationals. These two matches will the trials for our youngsters. In last few months, our boys have been training hard and this is the best opptutunity for them,” added Harjinder.