I-League returns

KOCHI: The nation’s premier football competition returns to Kochi after a nine-year gap, as Chirag United Kerala is set to meet East Bengal in the I-League at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium here on Friday. The national football league, now known as the I-League, will return to Kochi on December 23.The last time the city hosted a match in the top division competition, then known as the National Football League, was back in 2002, when the now defunct F C Kochin slipped out of the scene with a 0-5 humiliation against Kolkata club Tollygunge Agragami. Kolkata giants East Bengal too last played in Kochi during the F C Kochin era. The last international match at the venue was the India-Oman Pre-Olympic qualifier in 2004, while, an exhibition match featuring Brazilian club Sao Paulo was held in 2007, after which the venue was closed down for renovation. Having started their home season off at Thiruvananthapuram, Chirag are scheduled to play eight matches here, extending till April, 2012.Meanwhile, four counters have been launched in front of the stadium.