ATK tunes up in Dubai for ISL Season 4

With a bunch of fresh recruits guided by a new coach, two time Indian Super League (ISL) champions ATK are on the verge of completing a three-week gruelling pre-season in Dubai, the football club said in a statement on Tuesday.

ATK had started their pre-season training at the state-of-the-art facility Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai on October 12.

They are slated to return to Kolkata to acclimatise to the home conditions on November 4.

The sports complex boasts of two football grounds housing classic facilities, along with an excellent indoor gym for players to sweat it out.

The training module has been designed by head coach Teddy Sheringham to get the footballers in right physical shape for the fourth ISL season beginning from November 17.

ATK started their pre-season campaign from October 12 and will return to Kolkata to acclimatise.

The squad has been practising both in the morning sessions -- each of two hour duration.

The red and white brigade won all their three practice matches in style with Irish and English Premier League (EPL) legend Robbie Keane scoring three goals.

Among the new Indian players, Bipin Singh Thounaojam and forward Robin Singh have scored goals.

Portuguese forward Santos Branco and midfielder Rupert Nongrum have also added to the score line.

The last practice match will be played on Wednesday. ATK is practicing twice a day, with the schedule being morning 9:00 am to 11:00 am and evening 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm (under lights).

In the first practice game, ATK got past Dubai All Stars 3-0. Keane struck a brace and Robin scored once.

In the second game, the Kolkata-based club rode on strikes by Thounaojam and Nongrum to pip Dubai Irish Football Club 2-1. Joe Terry found the target for the Dubai outfit.

The third match saw ATK squeeze past Dibba Al-Hisn Sports and Culture Club 3-1. Keane, Branco and

Thounaojam got the goals for ATK, while Shadi and Malek were the scorers for the losers.

--IANS

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