The two teams have one win in their kitty from two matches.
Mumbai Football Club registered a 1-0 win over Sporting Clube de Goa while East Bengal overcame Royal Wahingdoh FC in an identical score line in their previous outings and the teams will be desperate to pick up full points in a bid to claw up the table.
East Bengal will certainly enjoy the advantage but it is time now to translate their ball possession into goals. They have lacked the cutting edge in the attacking third and much will depend on the likes of Nigerian duo Ranty Martins and Dudu Ogambemi.
With Arnab Mondal and New Zealander Leonidas Bertos manning the defence, coach Armando Colaco’s back four will be rock-solid.
“The goal has given my team oxygen and we had more of the ball but somehow we have found it difficult to score. If we score first we will win as we defend very well,” said Armando.
Mumbai FC head coach Khalid Jamil would expect his midfield to dish out a compact display and control right from the beginning. And for that to happen, the likes of former Dempo midfielder Climax Lawrence, Amoes, Taisuke Matsuage and Reisangmei will have to identify and exploit the links in East Bengal and link up well with striker Josimar Da Silva Martins.
Team manager of Mumbai FC, Henry Picardo is satisfied with his team’s preparation. “East Bengal are a strong team and the game will be a totally difficult proposition. I have confidence in my boys. Looking forward to a good game and we want to win and that’s result we are looking at when we play against the Kolkata giants,” said Picardo.
In the Group B match, at Tilak Maidan, Vasco, Bengaluru FC take on Shillong Lajong FC. The kick-off is at 4 p.m.
The I-League champions are second in the standings below Pune FC with one win and a draw. Shillong Lajong has faced defeats in their previous two encounters against Pune FC 3-1 in their opening match and 2-1 to Salgaocar in their second outing.
