FIFA U17 WC: Brazil, England semis shifted to Kolkata

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Bengaluru, October 23: The FIFA Under-17 World Cup semifinal between Brazil and England has been shifted to Kolkata from Guwahati owing to bad pitch conditions.

Both Brazil and England expressed their reservations about the ground at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. The match will now take place at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 25, announced FIFA.

It has been raining in Guwahati leaving the playing field wet and even pressing a helicopter to dry the ground did not yield desired results.

The players of Mali and Ghana too had complained about the field after their quarterfinal match.

Ghana coach Paa Kwesi Fabin had blasted the ground conditions in the post-match press conference.

"We've not encountered anything like this before. I thought the game should have been abandoned and played at some another time but those who are organising said we have to play so we played," he had said after the quarterfinals.