SHILLONG: Rangdajied United are set to lock horns with Sporting Clube de Goa on the latter’s home turf on Thursday in a sixth round I-League match.
The Meghalaya side are still looking for their first win in the league and after a disappointing 0-3 home loss to Mohammedan Sporting on Sunday, the Blues will be hoping to put on a better display.
The game against Sporting will be the first occasion Rangdajied United will play an I-League game in Goa, one of India’s footballing hubs.
Even after registering two draws against Dempo SC and Churchill Brothers in the first five rounds, the Blues are at the bottom of the table, level on points with defending champions Churchill Brothers.
The newly-promoted I-League team will, however, be boosted by their performances in the two home draws, and will try to put aside the memories of the Mohammedan game.
At the back, Surjay Pariyar is set to keep his starting position, and will have a key role to play against Sporting.
Coach Santosh Kashyap will have many options to choose his back four from, with Poibiang Pohshna, Lamine Tamba, Munmun Lugun, Bhola Prasad, Thomas Saikhom, Pynshongdor Shadap, Pratik Chowdhary and Ambilstar Sunn all available.
Midfielders Abocha Singh, Restomwell Khriam, David Nghaite, captain Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Laldingngheta will hope to feature in the starting XI, and against a strong Sporting midfield, the Rangdajied midfielders will have to be at the top of their games.
Lyngdoh and Nghaite have been quite impressive in the first few rounds, and will hope to keep up their good form, although the captain missed the last game due to a knee injury.
Up front, Kashyap will have quite a few options to pick from, with Edmar Figueira, Shin Ho-Jun, Nagen Tamang, T Lalnunpuia, Joy Kharraswai and Sandesh Gadkari all fit.
Considering Sporting’s decent defensive record so far, it will be interesting to see which forwards feature on Kashyap’s team on Thursday.
In the first five rounds, Kashyap has tried out many different tactics and team combinations in his starting XIs.
With Rangdajied still adjusting to the newer environment of the I-League, the coach may yet try out fresh options on Thursday, with positive results.
Another match will be played on Wednesday in the I-League, when current fourth-placed side United SC play against fellow Kolkatan team Mohammedan.
