With a healthy attendance at the Bangalore Football Stadium for all the matches, this Sunday could perhaps be the pinnacle of them all when the Garden City club hosts one of the most famous and decorated side in Indian football East Bengal.
The two sides have enjoyed contrasting fortunes this year with the I-league debutants sailing along comfortably while the Kolkata giants have endured a startstop season with Armando Colaco coming in as the coach midseason.
Having lost to the opposition in their last meeting on a rainsoaked pitch at Kolkata, the ‘Men of Steel’ will be looking to set things straight. With four wins on a trot, the Bengaluru side is in a rich vein of form with captain Sunil Chhetri personifying the team’ purple patch, notching up six goals in the last three games.
Despite all the positives, Ashley Westwood knows what he is up against. “Tomorrow will be one of our toughest games. They have the best side on paper,” said Westwood.
Sitting six points clear at the top of the table, BFC have surpassed all expectations but Westwood feels that there is no pressure on his side.
“We are a young side, a new side. We are not expected to win anything. The pressure is on them really,” opined the coach.
With Keegan Perreira in doubt for the tie coupled with John Johnson’s suspension, owing to accumulation of yellow cards, still in contention, BFC have some problems at the back. But with the strike department coming good and a well-drilled midfield orchestrated by Liberian John Menyongar, the hosts will be a handful going forward.
Ex-East Bengal striker Robin Singh will also have a point to prove if given the nod.
While the striker has been missing his shooting boots, his link-up play, physical presence and aerial competence has been a boon for the home side.
Meanwhile, Colaco has had problems galore since taking charge of the Kolkata side.
“They were not fit enough. The pre-season was not done properly,” said the Goan coach lamenting the fixture build-up due to the club’s participation in the Kolkata league in addition to the I-league.
East Bengal will miss the defensive bed-rock Uga Opkara, midfielder Mehtab Hossain and striker Joaquim Abranches but with Cavin Lobo, Chidi Edeh and Ryuji Sueoka among others, the Federation Cup champions still boast of a highly competitive squad.
While one side will look to keep their unbeaten home run intact and extend their lead at the top of the table, the other will be looking to do the double over the Men in Blue and lay the foundation for a comeback.
With a capacity crowd expected for the showpiece event, a highly entertaining encounter is in store.
