SHILLONG: Pailan Arrows will host Shillong Lajong FC in the 17th round of the I-League in a match that will be held at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, at 2:00pm on Sunday.
The Reds have good memories of playing against Pailan, having beaten them 3-1 – thanks to one goal from Friday Gbeneme and a brace from Sushil Kumar Singh – at home on November 28 last year.
That was, incidentally, the last time that Lajong won a match, a winless streak that now stretches back to eight games.
Sushil, who missed the last game against Dempo due to a suspension, will be back to play in front for his team on Sunday.
A win for Lajong will see them overtake the Arrows in the standings. The Kolkata-based team are eighth in the points table, tied on 15 points with SLFC, but have played one less match and have a better goal difference.
Including the November match, the Shillong club have a 3-1 head-to-head record against Pailan.
In other matches on Sunday, Pune play host to Sporting Clube de Goa, while Mohun Bagan return to action with a match against Salgaocar.
The Kolkata giants are playing their first match since the ill-fated December 9 derby against East Bengal, which led to a ban on Bagan after they pulled out of the match. The ban was revoked last week, but the Mariners will re-start the season with zero points.
“This is a very important match for us because we are starting 10 points behind the team which is ahead of us (United Sikkim) at the bottom of the pool. Salgaocar are 11 points ahead. This is a crucial match because we are both fighting to save relegation,” said Bagan coach Karim Bencherifa, who was the coach of Salgaocar until November.
“We have had a good camp and all of the players are available. They are fit and raring to go,” added Bencherifa.
Captain and striker Odafe Okolie will miss the match as he has been suspended for two games for arguing with the referee in the EB match. (with PTI inputs)