on Tuesday

4pm.

September 13 and 14

September 15

Panaji: Indian Super League ( ISL ) side FC Pune City will be overwhelming favourites when the second edition of the AWES Cup beginsThe tournament, organised by the Association for the Wellbeing of Elder Sportspersons (AWES), was a major success last year when held at the Duler Football Stadium in Mapusa.Pune’s developmental squad showed promise but were eventually knocked out in the semifinals by champions Dempo Sports Club. This year, however, Pune City are expected to land here with a strong first team which could include stars like Marcelinho, Emiliano Alfaro and ISL’s highest goal scorer Ian Hume.With the Junior National Girls Football Championship under way at Duler, the organisers were forced to move to the Tilak Maidan in Vasco where Dempo will start their title defence against FC Goa’s developmental squad at“Pune are most likely to conduct their pre-season in Goa and could also field their first team stars. Each team can register seven foreigners in a squad of 30 and four on match day. Only two foreigners can take the field while the other two can be on the bench,” AWES secretary Jonathan De Souza told reporters in the city on Thursday.The tournament will see eight teams this year, unlike the 12 that took part in the inaugural edition. The recent floods in Kerala hasn’t held back Gokulam Kerala from participation and the three outstation teams remain unchanged with Mumbai champions ONGC also confirming their participation.“We sent invitations to all 12 participating Goa Pro League teams but only four reverted back. Overall, I think the tournament will be competitive and a good exposure for many young players,” said Jonathan.AWES was formed last year under the presidentship of former fisheries minister Avertano Furtado and has since conducted several activities for the welfare of elder sportspersons. They have joined hands with the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) this time.“We are always part of the endeavour to promote football. When (AWES) officials came to me with their proposal, I readily accepted,” said SAG executive director VM Prabhu Desai.The semifinals will be held onwhile the final has been scheduled for. A friendly involving some of Goa’s stars of the past will precede the final.Teams: Group A: Dempo SC , FC Goa, Salgaocar FC and FC Pune City; Group B: Sporting Clube de Goa, Sesa FA, Gokulam Kerala FC and ONGC.