Defending champs Pune FC face Mumbai Tigers in opener

Two-time defending champions Pune FC will begin their campaign against Mumbai Tigers FC in their Under-19 I-League opener in Pune on Tuesday, 14th January, 2014.

Pune FC goes into the tournament looking for a hat-trick of wins after emerging top in the last two editions of the competition in Kalyani (2012) and Jamshedpur (2013) respectively.

Clubbed in the five-team Maharashtra-zone, Pune FC Under-19s – comprising of the second batch of the Peninsula Pune Football Club Academy (PPFCA) players – will be up against fellow Under-19 teams that include Mumbai FC, Kenkre FC, PIFA Colaba FC and AIFF Navi Mumbai Academy apart from Mumbai Tigers.

Post expansion, the Under-19 I-League will be played in a new format and will have 29 teams contest for top honours in a two-tier run to the title.

The five zones include, Kolkata, Mumbai, Shillong, Goa and Rest of India.

The four city-named zones will engage themselves in a home-away format with the winner advancing to the final leg to be held in Jamshedpur. The Rest of India zone will play a single-leg in Jamshedpur with the Top 2 advancing.

The Final-leg of the Under-19 I-League, which will include 6 teams is scheduled in mid-April in Jamshedpur and will be played on a single-leg.

In winning the last two editions of the competition, Pune FC has set the record of most number of wins. In 2013, they logged seven wins (3 in group stage/4 in final stage) while in 2012 they romped to the title with an all win record (4 in group stage/5 in final stage).

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PUNE FC SCHEDULE

14/01/2014 – Pune FC vs. Mumbai Tigers FC @Pune

17/01/2014 – Kenkre FC vs. Pune FC @Mumbai

21/01/2014 – Pune FC vs. Mumbai FC @Pune

11/02/2014 – AIFF Academy vs. Pune FC @Mumbai

14/02/2014 – Pune FC vs. PIFA Colaba FC @Pune

18/02/2014 – Mumbai Tigers FC vs. Pune FC @Mumbai

21/02/2014 – Pune FC vs. Kenkre FC @Pune

24/02/2014 – Mumbai FC vs. Pune FC @Mumbai

28/02/2014 – Pune FC vs. AIFF Academy @Pune

07/03/2014 – PIFA Colaba FC vs. Pune FC @Mumbai

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