By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Shillong Lajong FC will be targeting full three points when they take on Kolkata giant East Bengal in a crucial Round 20 match of the I-League 2011-12 season at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.
The home side would be looking to continue with its good form coming from back to back wins against Pailan Arrows and HAL.
On the other hand, East Bengal who are five points behind table leaders Dempo would be looking for a victory to reduce the gap between them and Dempo.
Lajong, however, would face a daunting task against their more fancied rivals as defender Weiladmi Passah is out with a suspension.
Besides Passah, another defender Aibor Khongjee would also not be available for the match. Khongjee’s absence from the team is allegedly due to his differences with coach Pradhyum Reddy.
With the absence of the two defenders it would be a big test of sorts for the home side’s defence.
It may be mentioned that Lajong’s weak defence and their inability to clear the ball had led to their defeats on home turf against Dempo FC and Churchill Brothers.
However, East Bengal would also play with a depleted side as the Kolkata team would be missing the services of as many as seven of their top players who are out either due to injuries or suspension.
Noiba Singh, Gurwinder Singh, Soumich Day, Nirmal Chettri and Baljit Sahni are injured while Pennikechukuru Orji and Uga Okapara have to sit out having been suspended in previous matches.
East Bengal coach Trevor Morgan also admitted that it would be tough game for his team against the resurgent home side who are fresh from back to back victories. He, however, denied that his players would be under any pressure playing before the thousands of home fans who would all be cheering for Lajong.
“We are used to playing before a big crowd. Normally in Kolkata there would more than one lakh fans at any big football match,” Morgan said.
The East Bengal coach also admitted that his team’s performance so far this season has not been consistent. “There have been ups and downs in the performance. We tend to lose our momentum after winning three matches in a single stretch,” he said.
“As it stands at present, any team can defeat any team on any given day,” Morgan added, while citing that even teams like Mumbai FC and Pune FC have defeated top-ranked teams like Dempo and Churchill Brothers.
When asked about Shillong Lajong, he said that the home side is an improved team especially after the recent signing of some top players.
Lajong coach Pradhyum Reddy, meanwhile, said that it would be a good test for his players against a top team like East Bengal.
“I am hopeful that the players would be able to repeat their performance against Dempo and provide tough challenge to the Kolkata side,” Reddy said.
He also said that it was a good sign that younger players were performing at the big stage.
“With the good show put up by the young players, the team has got some flexibility now,” the Lajong coach said.
Reddy also expressed satisfaction over the good show by India striker Sushil Kumar Singh and Australian Matthew Mayora.
“We have been able to score goals in the last few matches due to this new combination of Singh and Mayora in the forward line,” Reddy added.