Atletico de Kolkata win first friendly match in Spain
DEFENDING INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE (ISL) champions Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) won their first friendly match against Spanish side Gimnastica Segoviana CF under-19 team 9-0 at the Los Angeles de San Rafael ground in Spain, as reported by IANS.
TK's marquee player Portuguese international Helder Postiga scored a hat-trick, while Canadian forward Ian Hume netted a brace. Jewel Raja, Jaime Gavilan Martinez, Arata Izumi, Valdo also got into the scoresheet for the team on Thursday.
Last season, ATK defeated the same team 6-0.
"We are just at the beginning of our preparations for the second season of ISL. The match provided an opportunity for the support staffs to observe where the fitness levels of each player stand at the moment and I am happy with the progress each player is making at the moment,"
Antonio Lopez Habas, ATK coach, said in a release.
"These friendly matches will help the footballers interact with each other and gel as a unit prior to the season,"
he added.
They have surely sent out a message through their game and also via Twitter:
ATK won 6-0 when they met last time. They have bettered the scoreline by 9-0 this time. Sign of things to come? pic.twitter.com/iCbQKxnZNv
— Atlético de Kolkata (@atletidekolkata) September 4, 2015
The second season of ISL will begin from October 3.