TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: I-League champions Churchill Bros will take on Dempo in the inaugural match of Goa Pro League which will kick-off at Duler Stadium, here, on Monday.
The teams have shuffled their squads from last season and the Goa Pro League will give them an opportunity to experiment with new signings before the I-League starts in September.
After being away for almost one-and-a-half-season, legendary Sukhwinder Singh has taken charge as the technical director of the Red Machines in July while Mariano Dias continues to serve as their head coach.
Gabonese Henri Antchouet will be with the club for the third year while the new Portuguese signings Eurípedes Amoreirinha and Hugo Machado will not feature as their ITCs are still pending. “We started our pre-season training a month ago and the team is shaping up alongwith the new recruits. Tomorrow is a tough game against Dempo but will definitely look to secure three points,” said Churchill Bros head coach, Mariano Dias.
Former Air India skipper Micky Fernandes may start for The Red Machines depending on his fitness while AIFF player of the year Lenny Rodrigues will be the man to watch in the midfield. Churchill will be fielding Alesh Sawant and Alson as their two under-20 players.
On the other hand, Dempo will be boosted with the arrival of Australian head coach, Arthur Papas, who took charge of The Golden Eagles this season after spending time with AIFF’s developmental side Pailan Arrows last season. “The first match of the pre-season is not very competitive but if you play Dempo versus Churchill, you play the game very seriously. The main focus is the I-League but you got to respect the Goa Pro League as it has its purpose. We are going to utilize the Goa Pro League to prepare our team for the I-League and look forward to win every game,” said Papas.
With young and new talent in the teams, ready to prove their mettle one can look forward to an exciting encounter.
The kick-off is at 4.15 p.m.
