I-LEAGUE PREVIEW - Pune FC face a test of belief against Shillong Lajong FC..
27.01.2012 : PFC PRESS...KFC.. | www.kolkatafootball.com HOME PAGE
Pune FC faces the test of belief to overcome any odd when they take on Shillong Lajong FC in an away I-League game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong on Saturday. So be it the chilly and breezy weather, the vociferous home support, four key players missing for the second time in a row or the fact that SLFC is the only side victory has remained elusive, Round-17 will be about the players' confidence against a tall job on hand.
However, in saying so, Pune FC has equal and fair share of positives to look up to. The unbeaten 10-match run (the best by any team this season) they carry into this afternoon match, the dipping form of their north-east opponents that includes two losses in a row and winless in four games - the longest this season.
Coach Derrick Pereira explains, "Lajong have some good players in their midst. They recently added a couple of players in striker Sushil Singh and Matthew Mayora apart from signing Rennedy Singh and thus will be a good team." The signings, primarily, reason with the fact that SLFC are only above the bottom two teams on the scoring count.
While SLFC, otherwise, remain a tough nut to crack at home, the factor that drives the team and needs to replicate elsewhere as well is the 12th man support - the fans - who turn out to egg the players on. For the record, the game on Saturday is a sold out affair, which means a 24,000-strong backing!. Quizzed on the support making a difference in the match, Derrick felt, "We've played in Kolkata to huge galleries, but yes the crowd will help the players play better. And I am sure we will entertain. And yes we are prepared for the game."
In fact, in similar match-day atmosphere SLFC has gone down to Churchill Brothers and Dempo SC to provide reason for Pune FC to look at gaining. Incidentally, both losses came on the newly laid turf unlike the past when teams complained about the uneven Shillong pitch. Pune FC, meanwhile, has injury and suspension problems. It begins with the unexpected jerk India striker Jeje Lalpekhlua had on his left knee in the last match against Air-India that has put him out for at least eight weeks.
Apart from Jeje, defenders Srikanth Ramu-Caitano Costa and midfielder Lester Fernandez are serving a one-match suspension after receiving two cautions in two separate matches. On Jeje's absence, Coach Derrick added, "He's been part of the team since long and needed rest and this lay off period should do him a world good to comeback strongly mentally."
The foursomes' absence, however, will be made-up with the return of regular central medios Douhou Pierre and Baldeep Singh apart from left wing back Gurjinder Kumar and Anas Edathodika, which speaks of the depth and variety Pune FC sport. Upfront striker Jeh Williamson adds variety, in the midfield Arata Izumi, Paresh Shivalkar, Maninder Singh, while in defence Rollingson Hyungo works out options that Coach Derrick has in his arsenal.
Depending on the line-up for Saturday, all three Pune FC players - Mandjou Keita, Douhou, Shanmugam Venkatesh - who have scored against SLFC over the past 3 seasons (2009-onwards) can figure as a unit. Both teams have played thrice in the I-League and SLFC have a one-match win advantage, which came in the first half of March 2010. The other two games have ended in draws. Saturday's game overall will be the seventh meeting.
Interestingly, Pune FC are also up against a team that are unbeaten against teams from Maharashtra this season and have one win and three draws in four games overall. On the flip side whenever any opposition has scored two goals in the league, Lajong have lost. Victory would mean Pune FC breaking into Club 30 and a chance to regain the one place they lost on the league table after drawing the last game..
Head-To-Head
22/10/11 I-L Pune FC 0-0 Shillong Lajong
I-LEAGUE PREVIEW - Sporting stay confident against Prayag..
27.01.2012 : AIFF PRESS...KFC.. | www.kolkatafootball.com HOME PAGE
High flying and inform Prayag United will take on Sporting Club De Goa at home at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Saturday (September 28). Prayag United who won their last match against Mohun Bagan are on 28 points from 16 matches while Sporting Clube are on 23 points from 16 matches.
For Prayag United, Gouranga Biswas and Lalkamal Bhowmick are injured and would be sitting out. To worsen it further, Yusif Yakubu is also unlikely to start. He had returned home to Ghana for family reasons and will take time to overcome the jet-lag.
Prayag Coach Sanjay Sen has opted to go with two foreigners Kayne Vincent and Brasilian forward Joshimar to start upfront. Sen said: "Sporting Club De Goa has won their last three matches including one against Mohun Bagan. They have quality players like Moga and Kalu. But we would be playing to win."
Sporting Club De Goa coach Ekendra Singh on the other hand said: "We are likely to star with Keita and Moga and will probably bring on Kalu at a later stage. Prayag defeated Mohun Bagan in their last match but so have we."
I-LEAGUE PREVIEW -
Air India keen to get back to winning ways
27.01.2012 : AIFF PRESS...KFC.. | www.kolkatafootball.com HOME PAGE
Post Christmas, Air India and Mumbai FC seem to be charting the same path. The sudden dip in form for both the teams has defied logic. And as they face each other at the Balewadi Sports Complex on Saturday (January 28), both would be aiming to be back on the winning track.
"We have been unlucky off late, but I guess now we are prepared to take on the chances and force for a win," Air India Coach Santosh Kashyap said as the team went for pre-match practice this afternoon. Kashyap's confidence also stems from the fact that Mumbai FC have been pathetic in their last few matches - losing four in the last five encounters, including the 0-5 mauling by Sporting Clube de Goa at Fatorda last week.
There was a lot of bad blood following the match after Jamil and Sporting striker James Moga got involved in a spat and that could affect Mumbai's morale."We have been very close to winning in some matches but ended up drawing. Anyway, I am happy with the performance of my boys and I'm sure they will do better," added Kashyap.
Air India are currently on 21 points from 167 matches while Mumbai FC are on 14 points from 16 matches. No doubt Mumbai FC are a good side, but have been complacent. Jamil has been very vocal on the sidelines, but unfortunately the players have not been able to translate his aggression on the field. "Every match is a new match for us and we know that Mumbai FC are a good side," Kashyap said.
For Mumbai FC, striker Keegan Pereira, who was red-carded during the Round XV match against Pune FC, will be back. Much will though depend on Ebi Sukore and Gbeneme Friday upfront. Mumbai FC hasn't lost to Air India so far in their past five face-offs. Air India on the other hand has been more steady side since the turn of 2012. Collin Abranches, Lamine Tamba and Bijoy Basfore have done their job in the defence with Pawan Kumar standing tall under the bar.
But they would be missing in-form Ramandeep Singh due to double bookings. Kali Alaudeen could also be forced to sit out after he received a jerk in the knee in the last match against Pune FC.
Chirag Kerala take on HAL
After an ill-fated match against Pailan Arrows that has been postponed for a later date on grounds of unavailability of their home ground in Kochi last week, Chirarg United Kerala FC are set to face HAL Bangalore on Saturday (January 28) in Round 17 of the I-League 2011-12. Chirag will be hoping to collect all the points on offer with the home support, to breathe some temporary relief in their relegation skirmish.
The home side though will be without their influential forward Anil Kumar who is forced to sit out due to fever. The striker whom his team turns to when goals are needed, will be dearly missed. But this paves out an opportunity for the side to test their new acquisition James, who will replace him as David Sunday's strike partner. James born to a Nigerian father and an Indian mother is a naturalised Indian.
The Chirag management will be hoping that James would be the answer for their long search for a forward with an eye for goal, and what better way to make ones debut against a defence that has conceded the most number of goals this season. Their defence have consistently failed conceding an average of over 2.5 goals per game for the last 16 matches. Chirag who registered their first win against HAL in the first round have never lost to HAL - a blow from which HAL never recovered. Chirag stay on 11 points from 15 matches while HAL are on 3 points from 16 matches.
I-LEAGUE - East Bengal hold churchill brothers in away..
27.01.2012 : KFC.. | www.kolkatafootball.com HOME PAGE
Churchill Brothers allowed East Bengal to get off the hook and settled for a 1-1 draw in an I-League clash at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda. Churchill Brothers had plenty of chances to grab the three points that they had been hunting for but apart from Henri Autchouet's early goal the hosts had nothing to show. In the end, even that did not count for much as Tolgay Ozbey ensured East Bengal walked out with a point with the equalizer in the 53rd minute.
Coach Manuel Gomes opted to start with three strikers, including one on the right of midfield, giving Churchill a lot of attacking intent. It surely took East Bengal by surprise as the visitors were still coming to grips with the torrent of attacks early in the game.One such move, led to a corner in the seventh minute which Steven Dias took beautifully and Henri finished with a smart header at the first post.
Hardly had those cheers died down, Churchill created another glorious moment but this time Lenny Rodrigues' booming long-ranger rattled the upright and rebounded back into play.For the remainder of the first half, the ball was mostly confined to the midfield as East Bengal seemed out of sorts and Churchill seemed content in the solitary goal lead.
In the second session, East Bengal pulled up their socks, and within eight minutes found themselves clawing their way back into the game. Incidentally, it was their first attempt on goal but the visitors didn't mind as Tolgay headed Harmanjyot Khabra's flick from close range.The goal did not upset Churchill as they continued to dominate but a goal remained elusive despite several chances.
The best chances fell at the feet of Henri but the Gabonese striker twice failed to score with only the goalkeeper to beat. Mohammad Rafi also had a glorious chance but his shot from handshaking distance sailed too wide of the target. East Bengal almost took everyone by surprise but Tolgay's left-footer struck the side post.
27.01.2012:Churchill Brothers 1-1 East Bengal (GOA - 90'+ 4' )
CB : Henry 8' :: KEB : Tolgey 54'
CB : Felix, Thangiam, Sudhakaran, Ravanan, Y.Raju, Lenney, Beto, Dias, Rafi, Opara, Henry.
KEB : Gurpreet, Khabra, Gurwinder, Okpara, Soumik, Sanju, Vasum, Mehtab, Penn, Sushant, Tolgey..
Referee : Sri Krishna.
90': Referee added 4 minute as injury time.
STATS: East Bengal played 14 Home match so far against Churchill where they won 8 drew 3 and lost 3 matches and out of 15 Away game they won 2 drew 4 and lost 9 matches so far..
STATS: Other that In their last 4 encounters in I-LEAGUE Churchill was unbeaten against East Bengal another 4 times in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 season.
54': GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL..East Bengal eqalized Through Tolgey..
HT: 45+2': half Time. Churdhill is leading 1-0.
STATS :East Bengal's new recruit Edmilson scored in 2006-2007 13th Round match against Curchill where they lost 2-3, other scorer was Alvito. Odafa Okolie scored double with Vanlal Rova in that match for Churchill.
STATS : Odafa Okolie scored hat trick against East Bengal in their 3-2 win in 2007-2008 5th Round home match where Edhmilson and Mehtab scored for East Bengal. Odafa has changed his team to Mohun Bagan but Mehtab and Edmilson is now the player of East Bengal.
26/03/11 IFS Pune FC 1-2 Shillong Lajong
20/03/10 I-L Shillong Lajong 1-0 Pune FC
27/12/09 FEC Shillong Lajong 1-1 Pune FC
08/11/09 I-L Pune FC 1-1 Shillong Lajong
14/04/09 I2nd Shillong Lajong 2-0 Pune FC
8': GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL..Churchill Brothers scored through Henry. They are now leading 1-0
STATS : It was a rare case. In 2nd Jan 1998 East Bengal got full points alongwith an award of 3-0 goal bonus without playing a minute against Churchill Brothers at home as Churchill Brothers refused to play the match for a dispute over the match ball..
STATS : Odafa Okolie has scored the maximum number of goals for Churchill Brothers (10) while for East Bengal, Alvito D'Cunha stay the highest goalscorer with 5 goals.
Yusif Yakubu is the only player to have scored for both sides against each other. He scored 3 for East Bengal against Churchill and 1 for Churchill Brothers against East Bengal.
