Mohun Bagan may skip
IFA Shield for Asia Cup

India's premier football club Mohun Bagan might skip the IFA Shield-2002 as its schedule is colliding with the Asia Cup Championship.

Bagan secretary Anjan Mitra informed that the club players will leave for Colombo in the first week of September to play an 'away' match in the Asia Cup, against Sunders, on Septmber 7. The 'home' match is on September 22, at Kolkata.

The IFA Shield, the country's second oldest tournament, is scheduled to begin on September 15, with the final slated for September 31.

Mitra said the IFA has not released the fixtures for the tournament, but if it does not change the dates, Bagan would say goodbye to it this year.

After winning the sixth National Football League, Bagan were invited by the Asian Football Confederation to participate in the Asia Clubs Championship. They were fined by the AFC for not playing a home match against a Japanese club in the Asia Cup in 2000.

Mitra said if his club wins both the matches against Sunders of Sri Lanka in the first round, then the club will not release its players for the Santosh Trophy, scheduled for October.

The Asia Cup second round matches are scheduled for October 9 and October 23, in Maldives and Kolkata.