Kashyap targets 7th-placed finish
SHILLONG: Bottom-placed Rangdajied United FC have a lot in common with Mumbai FC, who they will clash with in an I-League match in Pune on Wednesday.
Both teams have struggle this season, although Rangdajied can be excused somewhat as this is their first season in the I-League.
Mumbai are currently 11th with seven points from nine games, while RUFC have four points, also from nine outings.
Both clubs have recorded four draws at their respective home grounds and the only difference is that Mumbai have won one game (away at Churchill Brothers), while the Blues are so far winless.
This is something Rangdajied need to change and they will have a good opportunity to do so on Wednesday.
Mumbai are yet to win any of their “home” matches – played, as was the case last season, in Pune – in this campaign; seven fixtures at the Balewadi Sports Complex have resulted in four draws and three defeats, including one to Shillong Lajong FC.
Their coach Khalid Jamil, however, was confident of his team’s performance against the new boys of the League.
“The break we got from the I-League was a time we worked on our mistakes and concentrated on all the departments we were lacking in,” Jamil was quoted as saying on the official I-League website on Tuesday.
Two new players have been signed up by Mumbai – Ahmad Hatifie and Hashmatullah Barikzai (both from Afghanistan) -and the coach said that they will bring an advantage to his side.
Rangdajied, too, are in the midst of introducing new players to their burgeoning squad.
The Blues signed five players from the proposed IMG-R league on loan (although there is suggestion that one will be released), one of whom was goalkeeper Subrata Paul, who performed admirably under the bar in the maiden Shillong derby against Lajong on Friday.
In the brief interim since the last game it has also been confirmed that RUFC have picked up a North Korean striker, Kim Song-Yong.
Although Kashyap did not mention it, the Blues now have five foreigners in their squad when the I-League limit is four.
A website close to the club said, on Monday, that Shin Hojun would be deregistered from the I-League, allowing Kim to play.
Rangdajied, however, will continue to miss the services of Brazilian striker Edmar Figueira through injury.
“I am definitely looking forward to a win, which we need. Most of our players have been going through some sought of injury and that is affecting the team,” Blues coach Santosh Kashyap said.
“Kim Yong who is a striker has just joined in, will be a boost to the team, also Subrata’s presence would be an added advantage,” he added.
Backing his earlier comment that Rangdajied are not a team that deserves relegation, Kashyap said: “My target as of now would be to avoid relegation; a top seven finish is what I am looking for.”
To do this Rangdajied need to start winning matches. Their away form so far has been off colour, with no points from four games. In fact, the Blues are yet to score away from Shillong this season.
Mumbai have received an additional boost in Ghana’s Yusif Yakubu, who dominated the Mumbai frontline last season and who has sorted out his visa issues and will be someone for RUFC’s defenders to watch out for.