Kolkata, Nov 03: Two sides with almost similar frailties and aspirations set up the clash in the fourth round I-League encounter, at the Salt Lake Stadium, here, on Sunday (November 4).
Mohun Bagan, under their stand-in coach and former international Mridul Banerjee, look to rebuild their scattered house while their opponent Sporting Clube de Goa also seek to sustain the winning momentum after a not so convincing start.
Placed in the bottom half in the current standings, both the sides have their sights set on procuring the maximum out of the duel. What has also enhanced the eagerness to succeed in the opposing camps is the fact that both sides tasted their first wins of the tournament in the previous round. Hence the eighth placed Sporting Clube (4 points) are set to give tenth placed Mohun Bagan (3 points) a tough challenge.
Mohun Bagan were rescued by an own-goal from Mickey Fernandes of Air India, which helped the Kolkata giant win 1-0 at Pune in the previous outing. This was the first win after successive loses for Bagan, which saw their previous coach Santosh Kashyap resigning.
With Banerjee asked to take over in the interim period before Moroccan Karim Bencherifa officially takes over the reins of the side in the third week of this month, Bagan are looking to make the maximum out of their home advantage and better their position in the standings.
The mega-budget acquisition of the team – Nigerian Okolie Odafa – is playing the dual role of a mentor in helping the side regain the confidence that was lost in the disastrous start to the season. The player was seen giving suggestions to his teammates in the practice session as Banerjee tried to tidy the disarrayed side into a performing unit.
“Sporting are good team with lot of hardworking players. We have to play really well to get the full points out of the match,” said Mohun Bagan’s goalkeeping coach Hemanta Dora, who addressed the media ahead of the match.
In absence of injured Australian striker Tolgay Ozbey, Odafa will have to play the lead in the attack with assistance from the likes of Syed Rahim Nabi, Jewel Raja, Manish Mathani or CS Sabeeth, who are likely to figure in a widened midfield.
Mohun Bagan defence under Nigerian Celestine Anyichie and Ibor Khongjee in the middle will have a big task to seal the porosity in the backline, which has seen the team concede more goals (four) than it could score (two) in its three outings so far.
Sporting Clube de Goa coach Ekendra Singh said Mohun Bagan will be a tough side at home and hoped that his players would be able to raise their game and get some points out of the contest.
“With a striker like Odafa in their ranks, we know how strong side Mohun Bagan are. But we have our own plans and hope to succeed with that,” Singh said. The confidence in the Sporting’s ranks comes from way the team held East Bengal 0-0 in the first round at home.
Sporting will bank on the experience of Nigerian Ogba Kalu, who is the lone foreigner in the side. Ekendra Singh said there is good balance in the side with a fair mix of juniors and seniors and that would help the side get the best out of the situation.
The kick-off is at 2.30pm.
Mohun Bagan, under their stand-in coach and former international Mridul Banerjee, look to rebuild their scattered house while their opponent Sporting Clube de Goa also seek to sustain the winning momentum after a not so convincing start.
Placed in the bottom half in the current standings, both the sides have their sights set on procuring the maximum out of the duel. What has also enhanced the eagerness to succeed in the opposing camps is the fact that both sides tasted their first wins of the tournament in the previous round. Hence the eighth placed Sporting Clube (4 points) are set to give tenth placed Mohun Bagan (3 points) a tough challenge.
Mohun Bagan were rescued by an own-goal from Mickey Fernandes of Air India, which helped the Kolkata giant win 1-0 at Pune in the previous outing. This was the first win after successive loses for Bagan, which saw their previous coach Santosh Kashyap resigning.
With Banerjee asked to take over in the interim period before Moroccan Karim Bencherifa officially takes over the reins of the side in the third week of this month, Bagan are looking to make the maximum out of their home advantage and better their position in the standings.
The mega-budget acquisition of the team – Nigerian Okolie Odafa – is playing the dual role of a mentor in helping the side regain the confidence that was lost in the disastrous start to the season. The player was seen giving suggestions to his teammates in the practice session as Banerjee tried to tidy the disarrayed side into a performing unit.
“Sporting are good team with lot of hardworking players. We have to play really well to get the full points out of the match,” said Mohun Bagan’s goalkeeping coach Hemanta Dora, who addressed the media ahead of the match.
In absence of injured Australian striker Tolgay Ozbey, Odafa will have to play the lead in the attack with assistance from the likes of Syed Rahim Nabi, Jewel Raja, Manish Mathani or CS Sabeeth, who are likely to figure in a widened midfield.
Mohun Bagan defence under Nigerian Celestine Anyichie and Ibor Khongjee in the middle will have a big task to seal the porosity in the backline, which has seen the team concede more goals (four) than it could score (two) in its three outings so far.
Sporting Clube de Goa coach Ekendra Singh said Mohun Bagan will be a tough side at home and hoped that his players would be able to raise their game and get some points out of the contest.
“With a striker like Odafa in their ranks, we know how strong side Mohun Bagan are. But we have our own plans and hope to succeed with that,” Singh said. The confidence in the Sporting’s ranks comes from way the team held East Bengal 0-0 in the first round at home.
Sporting will bank on the experience of Nigerian Ogba Kalu, who is the lone foreigner in the side. Ekendra Singh said there is good balance in the side with a fair mix of juniors and seniors and that would help the side get the best out of the situation.
The kick-off is at 2.30pm.
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