MUMBAI: Mumbai FC host East Bengal at Cooperage in the second round of the Hero I-League on Sunday evening. East Bengal who emerged victorious in their previous game against Sporting Club de Goa, will be in for a difficult test against Khalid Jamil’s Mumbai FC side who have lost just once in their last ten I-League matches.
Mumbai FC are unbeaten in their last four meetings with East Bengal in the top flight and have got the better of their Kolkata opponents in their last three meetings at home. Eelco Schattorie’s East Bengal side fell to a 2-1 defeat, the last time the Red and Golds made the trip to Mumbai.
Mumbai FC Head Coach Khalid Jamil felt it was important to continue the good results against East Bengal over the years as he vowed to attack the Kolkata outfit from minute one. “If we have a good record against East Bengal, then we must continue it. We are playing at home tomorrow and we will attack from the start to the end. It is important to attack or else it will be difficult to win the game,” Jamil told the media ahead of the East Bengal game.
Jamil was respectful of his side’s opponents on Sunday as he conceded that his side will face a tough game against East Bengal. “East Bengal are a very good team, they play some really good football and I am expecting a really tough game for us,” Jamil added.
The Mumbai FC gaffer also confirmed that he has no injury worries ahead of the East Bengal clash, but pretty much ruled out new signing Ryuki Kozawa out of Sunday’s clash on the grounds of a lack of match fitness.
Unlike Mumbai FC East Bengal have a few injury worries as Head Coach Biswajit Bhattacharya confirmed Cavin Lobo, Gurwinder Singh and Sehnaj Singh will not feature against Mumbai FC. “We have plenty of injuries. I can confirm that Cavin Lobo, Gurwinder Singh and Sehnja Singh won’t play a part in tomorrow’s game. But we have a squad that is good enough to cope with all these injuries, so we are looking forward to the game,” said the East Bengal Head Coach.
But there seemed to be mutual respect between the two teams as East Bengal Biswajit Bhattacharya heaped praise on his opposite number Khalid Jamil and acknowledged his work at Mumbai FC. The former East Bengal forward is wary of Mumbai FC’s threat and refused to take them lightly. “Mumbai FC is a very good team. They have a good mix of players in their squad. Their coach Khalid Jamil is a really nice and gentle coach and he has done very well at Mumbai FC. So it is a game which we will take very seriously,” Bhattacharya told ahead of the game.
Mumbai FC were only beaten twice at Cooperage last term, but with a title tilt in their minds, Khalid Jamil’s men will be looking to better last season’s four wins at home in the previous campaign. A win against East Bengal might be the best way to kick-start their home campaign. But considering East Bengal’s quality, it will be easier said than done.
