Depleted' ONGC take on 'confident' Pune FC at Home
- 10:31 AM
- By Football Fans Manipur
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NEW DELHI, April 13: In sport, we often come across Devon Loch moments. And Pune FC Coach Derrick Pereira wants to make sure that if such an occurrence befalls his team, they have done everything right to pounce on the rare opportunity.
On the eve of their 24th Round I-league encounter against ONGC at the Ambedkar Stadium on Sunday (April 14, 2013), Pereira said: “Mathematically we are still in the hunt. That stays the motivation for the boys. We are all professionals and are here to get the best result. So I am optimistic. We need to win all our matches and we are working hard to achieve that. We need to put our best foot forward and the boys are training assiduously for that. The rest is not in our hands. But at least if such an opportunity comes our way, we should not let that go.”
Pereira’s Pune are now placed fourth in the points table with 37 points from 21 matches, 10 points behind leaders Churchill Brothers who have played a game extra. Prayag United are third playing three matches more and having 38 points from their 24, while East Bengal are sitting second with 42 in their kitty from 24 outings.
“We need to win all our matches and hope that Churchill loses three. They have couple of tough matches against Dempo and Mohun Bagan. Nothing is impossible in sport,” added the Pune FC Coach.
Pereira though is aware of the fact that ONGC have made the Ambedkar Stadium their fortress.
“They have been very good at home and we are expecting a tough contest on the morrow. They are a young side with some quality players. Santosh (Kashyap) also has done a good job with the side. But having said that we have worked on their weaknesses and if we play to our potential, we can get the better of them in their own backyard,” Pereira concluded.
ONGC Coach Santosh Kashyap admitted his side takes inspiration from their home record. "The fact that we have not lost a single game at home says a lot about our performance. We were at the bottom of the table a few months back and look where we are now. It's incredible," he maintained.
Indeed it is. A couple of days after he had taken over the ONGC job, Kashpap had in an interview to www.the-aiff.com declared that he "intended to finish among the top-seven." ONGC were 13th at that time.
However, ahead of their Pune match, ONGC stay a depleted side. Their defenders Robin Gurung, Waheed Sali, Joel Sequira and Bimal Minz are all out with injuries. To make matters worse, Kenistan stays unavailable upfront. "Against a top side like Pune FC, that's a concern," Kashyap added.
At the same time, Pune will be without the services of left back Gurjinder Kumar who is nursing a groin injury. N Mohanraj will take his place.
ONGC are currently placed seventh with 30 points from 23 matches. But what has brought the I-League side into limelight is their remarkable form at home. ONGC have not lost a game at home since the last year November when they were beaten by Air India, 2-4.
Statistics:
ONGC - 50th match in I League - Currently 7th in the table with 30 points - Last Five matches in I League - WWDDD
Pune FC - 100th match in I League - Currently 4th in the table with 37 points - Last Five matches in I League - LWDWL
NB- W-Win,D-Draw,L-Loss
Head to Head in I League
Total Matches - 3
ONGC Won - Nil
Pune FC Won - 2
Drawn - 1
ONGC Goals - 3
Pune FC Goals - 5
Meeting in the First Leg
October 8, 2012 (Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune)
Pune FC 3 (Jeje Lalpekhlua, Subhas Singh, S.Venkatesh) &nbs- p;
beat
ONGC 2 (Jatin Bisht, Yusa Katsumi)
Match Starts 3:30PM
On the eve of their 24th Round I-league encounter against ONGC at the Ambedkar Stadium on Sunday (April 14, 2013), Pereira said: “Mathematically we are still in the hunt. That stays the motivation for the boys. We are all professionals and are here to get the best result. So I am optimistic. We need to win all our matches and we are working hard to achieve that. We need to put our best foot forward and the boys are training assiduously for that. The rest is not in our hands. But at least if such an opportunity comes our way, we should not let that go.”
Pereira’s Pune are now placed fourth in the points table with 37 points from 21 matches, 10 points behind leaders Churchill Brothers who have played a game extra. Prayag United are third playing three matches more and having 38 points from their 24, while East Bengal are sitting second with 42 in their kitty from 24 outings.
“We need to win all our matches and hope that Churchill loses three. They have couple of tough matches against Dempo and Mohun Bagan. Nothing is impossible in sport,” added the Pune FC Coach.
Pereira though is aware of the fact that ONGC have made the Ambedkar Stadium their fortress.
“They have been very good at home and we are expecting a tough contest on the morrow. They are a young side with some quality players. Santosh (Kashyap) also has done a good job with the side. But having said that we have worked on their weaknesses and if we play to our potential, we can get the better of them in their own backyard,” Pereira concluded.
ONGC Coach Santosh Kashyap admitted his side takes inspiration from their home record. "The fact that we have not lost a single game at home says a lot about our performance. We were at the bottom of the table a few months back and look where we are now. It's incredible," he maintained.
Indeed it is. A couple of days after he had taken over the ONGC job, Kashpap had in an interview to www.the-aiff.com declared that he "intended to finish among the top-seven." ONGC were 13th at that time.
However, ahead of their Pune match, ONGC stay a depleted side. Their defenders Robin Gurung, Waheed Sali, Joel Sequira and Bimal Minz are all out with injuries. To make matters worse, Kenistan stays unavailable upfront. "Against a top side like Pune FC, that's a concern," Kashyap added.
At the same time, Pune will be without the services of left back Gurjinder Kumar who is nursing a groin injury. N Mohanraj will take his place.
ONGC are currently placed seventh with 30 points from 23 matches. But what has brought the I-League side into limelight is their remarkable form at home. ONGC have not lost a game at home since the last year November when they were beaten by Air India, 2-4.
Statistics:
ONGC - 50th match in I League - Currently 7th in the table with 30 points - Last Five matches in I League - WWDDD
Pune FC - 100th match in I League - Currently 4th in the table with 37 points - Last Five matches in I League - LWDWL
NB- W-Win,D-Draw,L-Loss
Head to Head in I League
Total Matches - 3
ONGC Won - Nil
Pune FC Won - 2
Drawn - 1
ONGC Goals - 3
Pune FC Goals - 5
Meeting in the First Leg
October 8, 2012 (Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune)
Pune FC 3 (Jeje Lalpekhlua, Subhas Singh, S.Venkatesh) &nbs- p;
beat
ONGC 2 (Jatin Bisht, Yusa Katsumi)
Match Starts 3:30PM
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