TEAM HERALD
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MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa coach Oscar Bruzon Barreras is keen to slay Mohun Bagan of Kolkata and prove to their critics that their previous performances at Duler Stadium, here were no flash in the pan.
From the danger of being relegated, Sporting Clube have leapfrogged their rivals and are now sitting pretty in the sixth spot with 30 points from 22 matches. They are now unbeaten in eight matches and have been at their strongest when playing at Duler.
“It’s a venue that we have adjusted well to. I am confident that we can beat Mohun Bagan as well,” said the Spanish coach, as he prepared his team for the 23rd round clash in Mapusa on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Getting past Goan opponents is all fine, but Mohun Bagan will be difficult, especially since the visitors have their backs to the wall and are fighting to save the drop.
“Mohun Bagan are an extremely talented side. They have some fine players, but we have enough talent in our side to carve a good result. If we stick to our plan, we can have another positive result,” said the Spanish coach.
Mohun Bagan were not prepared to play at the Duler Stadium – a result of late intimation – but coach Karim Bencherifa has already motivated his side to adjust quickly, to the new conditions, particularly the heat and the artificial turf.
The last time Mohun Bagan played at the Duler Stadium they were outclassed by Salgaocar Football Club who won the tie 2-0.
Mohun Bagan arrived in Goa on Friday without defender Anyichie Echezona and midfielder Jewel Raja.
Mohun Bagan are currently at the bottom of the pool with 13 points from 18 matches. A win will take them above United Sikkim for the first time since they were ordered to start from scratch in the I-League.
The match was actually scheduled to be played at Tilak Stadium, Vasco and was originally to be telecast live. Since the AIFF expressed its inability to telecast the match, Sporting asked that it be shifted to Duler and played at 4 p.m., thus allowing the new venue at Tilak to have a break even when the Government went out of its way to have floodlights installed for the sake of I-league matches and the stadium renovated and refurbished at the cost of Rs 6 crore. Several fans questioned the wisdom of not playing the matches under floodlights, in which case the Government could have gone slow on the work and got the entire stadium ready for Lusofonia Games in November, since there is some work still pending at Tilak Stadium.
