Pune FC Reserves head down-south for the first time this season to participate in the Don Bosco-Fr. McFerran Trophy All India Football Tournament in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The team combining of cadets from the Peninsula Pune FC Academy (PPFCA) and a few senior players will kick off their campaign against AG’s Office RC, Tamil Nadu on January 19that the DBYC Football Ground in Chennai.

The tournament will be an important one for Pune FC given the fact that they won it in 2009. Back then, it was the Senior team that participated and beat a strong Bangalore XI side 6-0 in the final.

Furthermore, this will be the fourth time Pune FC play in this competition after their previous appearance two years back in early 2013. Back then, Pune FC Reserves’ run was halted in the quarterfinal after suffering a 6-7 penalty shootout loss to Chennai Arrows FC and the squad will hope to better their performance this time around.

The prestigious knockout competition sees participation from sixteen teams from six different states participating for the 14-day event.

The 18-member squad consists of thirteen members from PPFCA who will be accompanied by five members from the senior side – midfielders Mumtaz Akhtar and Snehashis Chakraborty, striker Shoaib Syed, defender Henry Monsang and goalkeeper Avilash Paul.

PUNE FC RESERVES SQUAD

Goalkeepers
Avilash Paul, Iprotip Das

Defenders
Henry Monsang, Tarif Akhand, Tapas Pal, Gaurav Bora, Abhishek Mhaske, Kiran Saravanan

Midfielders
Mumtaz Akhtar [C], Snehasis Chakraborty, Sebastian Thangmuansang, Mohammed Yasir, Sajid Hossain, Omega Vanlalhruaitluanga

Forwards
Syed Shoaib, Pemba Rai, Aniket Jadhav, Lalremruata

Officials
Sujay Sharma (Coach), Prerak Arya (Physio), Gautam Rai (Team Manager)

PUNE FC SCHEDULE
19/01/2015 – Prequarterfinal – AG’s Office RC, Tamil Nadu vs. Pune FC – 15.30 IST
21/01/2015 – Quarterfinal  – 15.30 IST
23/01/2015 – Semifinal  – 15.15 IST
25/01/2015 – Final  – 15.00 IST