Pune: Pune FC will be represented by the youth of their academy set up at the XV All India Brigade of Gorkha Gold Cup 2014, at Darjeeling which begins Monday.

The team comprises of seventeen players of the Peninsula Pune Football Club Academy (PPFCA) Under-19 squad and two members – Henry Monsang and Subhasish Bose – from the Pune FC Senior team.

The 19-member squad that left Pune to participate in the tournament for the first time will figure as Pune FC ‘A’ at Darjeeling.

The tournament more popularly known as the Gold Cup is being organized by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Sports Association (DGHSA) in association with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Sports and Youth Affairs department.

For Pune FC ‘A’, the tournament is the second all-India tournament of the season. Earlier, the team figured in the 63rd Bordoloi Trophy and exit in the quarterfinal stage losing 1-3 to Oil India Limited Football Club, Duliajan.

Coach Naushad Moosa said, “It’s a learning experience for the boys. Seasoned teams are expected to participate in Darjeeling and we hope to put on a better show than the last time. The boys are confident and we are hoping for the best.”

Pune FC ‘A’ has been directly seeded into the quarterfinals and begins their campaign against Assam’s Salhbagan FC at the Gorkha Stadium, Lebong on Tuesday, 11th November, 2014 at 12.30pm.


THE TEAM

Goalkeeper(s): Sukhadev Patil, Tanmay Bhattacharjee

Defender(s): Henry Monsang, Balkar Singh, Manoranjan Singh, Dimple Bhagat, Asheer Akhtar, Subhasish Bose

Midfielder(s): Jesmon Soares, Pradeesh Clement, Md. Ashique Kuruniyan, Altamash Sayed, Sanchayan Sammader, Chesterpaul Lyngdoh, Myron Mendes, Sanik Murmu

Striker(s): Arif Shaikh, Farukh Choudhry, Akshay


Officials

Coach: Naushad Moosa, Asst. Coach: Mohan Dass, Physio: Lino Sequeira