India draw Portuguese non-professional side Odivelas 1-1 in friendly

New Delhi, July 19 (UNI) Indian national football team drew 1-1 with Portuguese non-professional second division side Odivelas FC in their first game of training schedule at the outskirts of Lisbon today.

Trailing 0-1 at half time, India equalised in the second half through Abhishek Yadav.

The national side will also play against long time Portuguese Super Liga side and now a top second level league side Estoril Praia on July 28.

Founded in 1939, Estoril Praia is based near Lisbon and it was a regular Super Liga side till early 1990s. But after that it last appeared in Super Liga in 2004-05 before being relegated to Liga de Honra or League of Honour (second level professional league below Super Liga).

They won the Liga de Honra in 2003-04 season.

Portugal has two levels in professional league -- Super League (Super Liga) and League of Honour (Liga de Honra) -- and second and third divisions below the two.

The Indian side will play third division sides Recreativo Agueda and AC Marinhense on July 22 and 26 respectively before taking on Estoril Praia.

The squad will leave Portugal on July 31, according to information sent by Football and Friends, the promoters of the fortnight-long Indian team's training sojourn in Portugal.

Before the team's departure from India on July 13, the AIFF had promised to have a fixture with one Super Liga side but apparently failed to materialise it.

The team will visit famous Portuguese side Benfica's stadium Estadio da Luz (Stadium of Light) next week on the invitation of multiple Super Liga champion side's president.

Fixture: July 19: Indian national side vs Odivelas FC (2nd Div side) July 22: Indian national side vs Recreativo Agueda (3rd Div side) July 26: Indian national side vs AC Marinhense (3rd Div side) July 28: Indian national side vs Estoril Praia (League of Honour side) UNI