Neroca FC likely to play home matches away from Imphal

Newly promoted I-League football club Neroca FC from Manipur have hit rough weather with their home ground in Imphal unlikely to be able to host their matches due to "poor dressing rooms."

It was reliably learnt that after inspection of the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium a little more than a month ahead of the I-League season, officials were left high and dry seeing the condition of the changing room.

"There were no bathrooms and the rooms wore an unkempt look, Neroca FC might have to play in either Guwahati or Shillong," a source close to the club said.

"The pitch is ready. The dressing rooms are not up to the mark. The government is running against time to finish the work. They have until 28th of October to ready the venue," Neroca FC director Naoba Thangjam Singh told IANS over phone on Saturday.

"There are chances that games might be shifted out of Imphal. We will try our best to get the stadium ready in time with or without the government support," he added.

Neroca FC won the 2016-17 edition of the Second Division I-League to book a place in this year's meet for the very first time in their history.

The Imphal-based club beat Lonestar Kashmir 1-4 in Srinagar in the penultimate round to achieve an unassailable seven-point lead over second placed Southern Samity.

Neroca FC are coached by Gift Raikhan, a former Pune FC academy coach. The I-league starts in the first week of November.

--IANS

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