VASCO, April 12: United Sikkim Football Club’s hopes of survival are hanging by a thread and they need to get the full points against Salgaocar Football Club at the Tilak Maidan, Vasco, on Saturday (April 13).
United Sikkim are languishing at the bottom of the league ladder with 15 points from 22 matches. They have just four more matches to play and will need full points in at least three of their last four games to have a realistic chance of surviving the drop.
The next two teams above the relegation zone include Air India and Mohun Bagan, both of whom have 19 points each. Another slip up on Saturday in Goa and Baichung Bhutia’s dream will collapse immediately.
“The way we have played, we haven’t really deserved to lose or draw quite a few of our matches. We probably deserved to pick more points but that hasn’t happened for whatever reason,” United Sikkim coach Nathan Hall said after his team’s last game - a 5-0 demolition of Air India.
The victory over Air India, Sikkim’s first since Nathan Hall took charge, would have bolstered the visitors’ spirits but with just four matches left to be played, Sikkim will have a mountain to climb.
“The most important thing is we try and build from this. Keep working hard and try to get a positive result,” the coach was quoted as saying.
United Sikkim will surely try but it is unlikely that Salgaocar Football Club, playing at home, will be as easy as Air India.
Salgaocar are among the most difficult teams to play in Goa and David Booth’s side is also high on confidence after they put it across Prayag United Sports Club 1-0 in their last match at Tilak Maidan.
With OJ Obatola back in the fold after serving a one-match suspension, Booth will have the luxury of fielding both of his foreign players upfront. The coach will, however, be forced to keep midfielder John Wilkinson in reserves since Brazilian defender Luciano Sobrosa -- who scored the winner in the last game against Prayag United -- is likely to complete the foreign trio in the starting eleven.
Salgaocar are placed ninth with 27 points from 23 matches.
The kick-off is at 4.00 pm.
United Sikkim are languishing at the bottom of the league ladder with 15 points from 22 matches. They have just four more matches to play and will need full points in at least three of their last four games to have a realistic chance of surviving the drop.
The next two teams above the relegation zone include Air India and Mohun Bagan, both of whom have 19 points each. Another slip up on Saturday in Goa and Baichung Bhutia’s dream will collapse immediately.
“The way we have played, we haven’t really deserved to lose or draw quite a few of our matches. We probably deserved to pick more points but that hasn’t happened for whatever reason,” United Sikkim coach Nathan Hall said after his team’s last game - a 5-0 demolition of Air India.
The victory over Air India, Sikkim’s first since Nathan Hall took charge, would have bolstered the visitors’ spirits but with just four matches left to be played, Sikkim will have a mountain to climb.
“The most important thing is we try and build from this. Keep working hard and try to get a positive result,” the coach was quoted as saying.
United Sikkim will surely try but it is unlikely that Salgaocar Football Club, playing at home, will be as easy as Air India.
Salgaocar are among the most difficult teams to play in Goa and David Booth’s side is also high on confidence after they put it across Prayag United Sports Club 1-0 in their last match at Tilak Maidan.
With OJ Obatola back in the fold after serving a one-match suspension, Booth will have the luxury of fielding both of his foreign players upfront. The coach will, however, be forced to keep midfielder John Wilkinson in reserves since Brazilian defender Luciano Sobrosa -- who scored the winner in the last game against Prayag United -- is likely to complete the foreign trio in the starting eleven.
Salgaocar are placed ninth with 27 points from 23 matches.
The kick-off is at 4.00 pm.
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