Goa : Dempo Sports Club are refusing to press the panic button despite suffering two losses on the trot in the I-League.
The former champions who were on a seven match unbeaten streak lost quite unexpectedly against Churchill Brothers and East Bengal in successive games, but Head Coach Armando Colaco is confident that his side will return to winning ways when they meet Air India at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Sunday.
Dempo’s lead at the top has also been cut to just a point by Churchill Brothers, who can move to the top with only a draw against Shillong Lajong later in the day. But despite all of the handicaps, Colaco remains cool as ever.
“I know my boys. I am not worried at all. Believe me, the boys will start winning again,” expressed Colaco.
Colaco, though, showed plenty of respect to rivals Air India, who got the better of Sporting Clube de Goa at the same venue in the last game and have previously scalped defending champions Salgaocar Sports Club.
“We cannot afford to take them lightly. I have always maintained that Air India is a tricky team and they deserve to be treated with respect. It will be a difficult game but in the end I think Dempo will walk away with full points,” said the Dempo coach.
Air India coach Santosh Kashyap will be high on confidence after arresting a two-match losing streak with a fluent win against Sporting Clube. The team adopted a wait and watch policy against Sporting Clube and are likely to do the same against the star-studded Dempo.
Coach Kashyap will make no changes to the side that stunned Sporting Clube.
Air India are currently placed seventh with 13 points from nine games, and should they get a favorable result, or at least a point, they could move a spot ahead of Pune FC.
Pune FC’s best chance to crack into top 5
Mumbai FC vs Pune FC: Mumbai FC and Pune FC square off on a ground that is home for both teams as the I-League football championship enters crucial phase at the Balewadi Sports Complex here on Sunday.
Academically a home match for Mumbai, but a resurgent Pune FC will be too hot to handle given that the venue technically belongs to Pune and there is every chance that the Piramal promoted club is going to attract home fans on Sunday afternoon.
The only nag for Pune FC, if one may call it, will be that for the first time this season they will be running under the sun instead of playing at dusk leading into the play under floodlights.
Mumbai FC Coach Khalid Jamil will be without Kingsley Chioma, the lone scorer against Lajong, as he has double bookings. But with Nicholas Rodrigues, Noel Wilson and Ebi Sukore in the side, they can surely give some tough time to Pune, which has performed against the expectations on most occasions.
As for Pune FC, this match couldn’t have come at a better time and against a ‘right’ team. The high of beating champion Salgaocar SC on Thursday has given them hope of breaking into the top five, though in all probability their position would stay the same as the Derrick Pereira’s team lags in goal difference against Prayag United, who are at plus-10, while Pune FC has just about evened their average from being in the negative for quite some time. Pune FC has 14 points and on sixth position after they leapfrogged three places following the win against Salgaocar.
Experienced Shanmugham Venkatesh, Mandjou Keita and Jeje Lalpekhlua were among the goal scorers in Goa but the on-loan goalkeeper Abhra Mondal is turning out to be Pune FC’s best saviour.
Pereira’s changed starting line-up against Salgaocar worked wonders and come tomorrow, more such tweaks would be in line to give fresh legs a start and test the bench strength before any substitutions are carried out as an emergency measure.
For Mumbai, this match will also provide a chance to get their bearing together as they would be playing host to three matches in a row at Balewadi Stadium.
HAL Bangalore vs Salgaocar SC:
Nine point from nine matches and resting at the bottom half of the points table. Not an ideal way to see the champions of last season Salgaocar SC. No win from the last four encounters – matter of great concern! However, things might not look that worse, when you have the likes of Karim Bencherifa managing the team.
As his usual way of looking at things, he is taking positives out of it, “We still got nine points, we have won Federation Cup this season, and we are leaders in Goa Pro League. These to me are the positives, and I’m trying to inculcate this to my boys.”
“Who cares about the 26 games we will be playing in I-league. To us, we’ve only one game, the most important one for now, which we need to win tomorrow,” Adds the Moroccan.
Salgaocar would be going with Chidi Edeh on upfront, Ryuji Sueoka on the middle, and Luciano Sabrosa on defense, leaving out the other foreigner Elijah Junior in reserve.
Task cut out for HAL defense, they are getting goals alright, but failing to defend them. Conceding four goals after leading 2-0 till 60th minutes against Mohun Bagan is the biggest example. They have to plug-in their defense right away. However, central-back Femi Joseph Adeola’s injury can hinder their attempt.
Match is slated for 3 pm on Sunday, December 18, 2011.
Pailan Arrows vs Kingfisher East Bengal:
One of the youngest I League team Pailan Arrows will face Kingfisher East Bengal in the tenth round of the I League match, to be played at the Salt Lake Stadium here in Kolkata on December 18, 2011.
East Bengal and Pailan Arrows have played against each other few times recently, and are familiar with each other style of play. Pailan Arrows play a free flowing attacking style of play and are a fit team as they comprise of young players and have nothing to lose.
East Bengal head Coach Trevor Morgan, when asked about Pailan Arrows said "They are a talented and good set of players but we need to continue our good form and get the full 3 points from this match".
When asked about injuries he said, Tolgay Ozbey was still injured and Uga Ukpara did not attend practice this morning because of a stomach problem, so we is not sure if he will play tomorrow. Gurwinder Singh and Nirmal Chettri are likely to start in the back if Ukpara is not available for the match, he added.
Meanwhile, Arrows goalkeeping Coach Tanumoy Bose said "We have had 5 draws and we are playing good football, though we are yet to get that elusive win. If we win one match things might open up for us. We have nothing to lose and will play our attacking style of football that we are now known for."
East Bengal stands third with 19 points from nine matches, while their opponents, Arrows stand at 13th position with five points from 9 matches.
Pailan Arrows have looked dangerous but it is to be seen if they can get points against an in form Kingfisher East Bengal tomorrow or whether East Bengal can move up the table further.
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