Goa: Dempo Sports Club will take on Pune FC at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda in the 19th round I-League encounter. Dempo will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the table in this match.
Dempo enjoy a healthy five point lead at the top but coach Mauricio Afonso is not willing to leave anything to chance even against a team which lost 2-4 against Sporting Clube in their previous clash.
“We are playing at home. The crowd will be behind us but we still have a huge task on hand. Pune FC can upset calculations of any team in the competition,” said Mauricio.
The Dempo coach knows the threats that Pune FC will provide. After all, it was Pune FC who defeated them for the first time this season and marred their chances in the Federation Cup. That defeat is still fresh in the minds of the Dempo players, and despite having recovered since then, the hosts would still remain guarded.
“We are at a stage where no slip-ups can be allowed. There may not be enough time to recover,” said the Dempo coach.
Mauricio is expected to make only one change to the team with Cressan Antao – suspended for the next clash – returning to the defence in place of Rowilson Rodrigues.
Pune FC will miss the services of their reliable stopper-back Chika Wali and coach Derrick Pereira, is likely to ring in a couple of other changes as well.
“Chika is suspended so we may have to start with Costa, or get Shrikant to play there. There will be another change, possibly in midfield,” said Derrick.
Pune FC were on an unbeaten 11 match unbeaten streak which ended in the last game against Sporting Clube at the same venue. Pune FC started quite well as Keita Mandjou scored two goals inside 22 minutes but then allowed themselves to be dominated by the hosts who pumped in four goals.
“I think the weather was the biggest factor. We played in the chill of Shillong and the came to humid Goa. In-between there was the travel and we didn’t have much time to recover. That affected us,” said the Pune FC coach.
By Indian Sports News
