SHILLONG: Shillong Lajong FC and Rangdajied United FC could well face some nail-biting moments on Tuesday as they play their last group matches of the Federation Cup in Kerala.
While Rangdajied go up against Sporting Clube de Goa in a Group B fixture in Manjeri, Group C’s Shillong Lajong will play Mumbai FC in Kochi, a match that will be broadcast live on Ten Action at 4:35pm.
Both clubs need to win their respective games, but of the two sides, Lajong’s road is a little more complicated as the results of a later match between Mohun Bagan and Salgaocar will also enter into the mix along with some arithmetic.
The Fed Cup considers head-to-head results above goal difference, but Lajong did themselves no favours by losing to Bagan 6-0 in their last match, which erased their +4 goal difference after beating Salgaocar.
Group C currently has Mohun Bagan at the top with six points and a goal difference of +7.
The Reds are second with three points and a goal difference of -2.
Salgaocar trail in third with a goal difference of -3 and three points as well.
All three teams remain in contention for a spot in the semis; Mumbai are nowhere as they lost both their opening games.
Lajong, therefore, need to beat Mumbai by a convincing margin and then hope that Salgaocar also defeat the Mariners by a large enough scoreline to reduce Mohun Bagan’s goal difference to a lower figure than Lajong’s, while still keeping Salgaocar behind the Shillong club.
In this situation, all three teams will have six points and because they have each lost to one of the others, head-to-head will not factor.
Mohun Bagan simply need a point to go through without maths coming into play and if Lajong do not win their match, the permutations will all be moot.
SLFC need to focus on the task at hand, the one they can control, and that means beating Mumbai.
The Reds need to tighten their defence and fire up at front to make sure the result goes their way.
Lajong defeated Mumbai in their last I-League match in Pune 3-2 and the Mumbaikars are not having the best time of late, but they cannot be underestimated.
Blues take aim at
Sporting Clube
Rangdajied, meanwhile, have to get past Sporting Clube de Goa to end their group stage campaign with five points.
They will then require East Bengal (on one point) to do them a favour and take down Bengaluru FC (on four points).
Sporting currently have three points and are second in the table.
Thus, a draw will not be sufficient for the Blues and they will then bow out of the tournament.
If Rangdajied win and EB draw with Bengaluru, then goal difference will have to be taken into consideration.
RUFC currently have a goal difference of 0, while Bengaluru’s is +2.
Sporting Clube will be no pushovers, however, with the Goan club beating East Bengal 2-1 and losing to Bengaluru in a 5-3 thriller earlier.
Rangdajied have been hit with the injury to Manandeep Singh, but will need to convert their solid performances so far into a victory, one that could not come at a more crucial time.
