ISL match in Kolkata disrupted due to power snag

Kolkata was yet again shamed as power failure led to a 12-minute disruption in the Indian Super League match between Atletico de Kolkata and Chennaiyin FC at the Salt Lake stadium here Friday.

The black-out occurred 36 minutes and 30 seconds into the floodlit match with the two sides locked 0-0.

Excepting some emergency lights which were on, the entire stadium plunged into darkness, taking aback the players - especially the foreign recruits - of the two sides.

The players initially stood silently, but then decided to do some tune ups to keep their body warm for the rest of the match.

The power, however, returned after 12 minutes and the match resumed. The tie ended goal-less.

A source said the generator supplying power directly to the stadium had tripped, causing the blackout.

The Salt Lake stadium has been notorious for such power breakdowns. A blackout occurred during the World Cup qualifier between India and Japan in 2004.

In 2011, the Argentina-Venezuela FIFA international friendly where Lionel Messi took part saw a power failure during Venezuelan coach Cesar Farias' post match press conference at the Salt Lake stadium.

Messi was scheduled to attend the media meet, but decided against it after the power fiasco.

Later in the same year, the I-League derby game between arch-rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan - before over 90,000 spectators - was disrupted for 19 minutes at the same stadium as the power supply conked.