The 2023-24 I-League 3 has now entered the playoffs stage to decide the final three teams earning promotion to I-league 2, the third division of the men’s football league in the country. Five group winners will battle against each other in a single round-robin format at this stage of the competition. The playoffs will begin on 22nd December 2023 and run until 28th December 2023. A total of four states will be represented in the I-League 3 playoffs this season.
Goa will have two teams that used to be in the I-League before, Sporting Clube de Goa and Dempo Sports Club. Two Southern clubs in the form of Kerala United from Kerala and Sporting Club Bengaluru from Karnataka are also in the mix. The other team, KLASA are based in Manipur. Sporting Clube de Goa taking on Sporting Club Bengaluru is the first fixture of the playoffs.
Teams
Sporting Clube de Goa (Goa)
Sporting Clube de Goa pipped Lake City to take the top spot in Group A and seal qualification to the I-League 3 playoffs. The Goan side finished two points ahead of the Madhya Pradesh-based team in second. The Flaming Orange did not lose any of the four matches in the group stages, dropping points just once, or even conceding a goal. They scored 13 times with 10 of those strikes coming in the huge win over New Friends.
Sporting Club Bengaluru (Karnataka)
In the neck-in-neck battle with Diamond Harbour FC from West Bengal, Sporting Club Bengaluru ultimately seized the qualification spot on goal difference after rending on equal points. In the top-two battle in the final group match, the Golden Tigers were trailing 2-0 at half-time against Diamond Harbour and were on the brink of elimination. However, they made a miraculous comeback in the second half to draw the game 2-2 and turn their fortunes around.
Kerala United FC (Kerala)
Kerala United also had a close run with the other Bengal club in the group stages, Bhawanipore FC but managed to finish a point above them in the first place. Third-place Garhwal was also not behind but the Hornbills managed to prevent the pair from winning in the final two group games. The goal difference would have still favoured Kerala United’s qualification if the points were the same with the team managing to score the most goals in the group with 10.
Keinou Library & Sports Association or KLASA (Manipur)
KLASA beat Sports Odisha to the top spot by three points finishing as the unbeaten side of their group. Defensive solidity was the real asset for the team as they conceded just once in four matches while scoring four in the same period. KLASA FC also became the first side to reach the playoffs.
Dempo Sports Club (Goa)
The most recognizable side from the lot is record I-League winners Dempo Sports Club who will be hoping to make the competition again soon. The Golden Eagles clinched first place in their group ahead of Rangdajied United and Kickstart without losing a single match. They conceded no goals and managed to score five times to advance to the playoffs of I-League 3.
Fixtures
Friday, 22 December 2023
Sporting Clube de Goa vs Sporting Club Bengaluru (09:00 AM)
Kerala United FC vs KLASA (03:00 PM)
Sunday, 24 December 2023
Dempo Sports Club vs Kerala United FC - Tilak Maidan, Goa (09:00 AM)
KLASA vs Sporting Club Bengaluru (03:00 PM)
Tuesday, 26 December 2023
KLASA vs Sporting Clube de Goa (09:00 AM)
Dempo Sports Club vs Sporting Club Bengaluru (03:00 PM)
Thursday, 28 December 2023
Sporting Club Bengaluru vs Kerala United FC (09:00 AM)
Sporting Clube de Goa vs Dempo Sports Club (03:00 PM)
TBD
Dempo Sports Club vs KLASA (TBD)
Kerala United FC vs Sporting Clube de Goa (TBD)
