Heavyweights clash in Mumbai today
AGENCIES
MUMBAI, MARCH 31
It will be a battle for supremacy when the table toppers Dempo play against local outfit Mahindra United in a 19th round tie of ONGC I-league at Cooperage ground here on Thursday.
Placed second, Mahindra will look to remain in the title hunt when they play Dempo and will hope to utilise the home condition. “We have played five games in the second leg where we have remained unbeaten, quite happy with the form of the team. At the beginning of the second leg, we were four points behind Dempo and now we have narrowed it down to two and one game can cancel that out. The players are in good heart and ready for this final run-in of games, so we feel capable of fighting all the way to finish line,” said Mahindra coach David Booth.
The top and the bottom half see tough competition as even a match lost or won can change alter the rankings. If in the top half it is the fight for title in the bottom it is the agenda to come out of the relegation threat.
Mahindra are currently second in the points table with 33 points, while Dempo are at the numero uno spot with 35 points. Differing on Dempo’s assertion that they would be difficult to beat following their win over Churchill, Booth believes that his team, which almost pulled a win in the first leg, would provide them a real threat.
Mahindra will see Subhodeep Mukherjee as the goalkeeper for the match as Subhashish Roy Chowdhury is out due to double yellow card.
Dempo coach Armando Colaco on the other hand doesn’t want to name his injured players as he feels that it wouldn’t be nice on the part of the players who will be playing the match.
“Mahindra are a very good team and they are playing on home ground. But for my team there is no pressure. I have told them to just go out there and play upto their potential. I wouldn’t want to name the players who are injured as that would be a dishonour to them. Anthony Pereira will not be playing the match,” added Colaco.
Margao Correspondent adds: Head coach Colaco said he would play Peter Carvalho on the right half with Roberto Mendes da Silva, Climax Lawrence and Clifford Miranda. The defence would be manned by Anwar Ali, John Dias, Sameer Naik and Valeriano Rebello who returns to the squad after one match suspension.
Colaco hopes that his defence would stand the test against the Red Devils. “The team has to be disciplined and the defence has to be alert,” Colaco stated from Mumbai.
