Reds play at United SC today
SHILLONG: After two months with no I-League action, Shillong Lajong FC will be in the thick of things when they take on United SC in Kolkata on Sunday.
United have already played their first match of the season’s second half, a 1-1 draw against Mumbai FC at home.
Lajong could be said to be the stronger team, but there is also a lot of pressure on the Reds.
They have had their best season of the I-League in their history so far, finishing 2013 in fourth place, although they have slipped to fifth on Saturday after Salgaocar defeated Mohammedan Sporting.
Nevertheless, they have a match in hand over the Goans and could retake fourth place with a positive result on Sunday.
SLFC have won six of their 15 matches so far and that includes an impressive three away games out of five.
United SC, on the other hand, have now gone seven games running without a victory and have also lost star striker Ranty Martins to Rangdajied United FC, with the club still suffering financial woes.
While the hosts are wounded tigers, Lajong have to overcome the past three matches away against United, which have not yielded a win for the Reds.
The two teams have already played once this year, a 1-1 draw in Shillong in October.
This will also be SLFC’s first Kolkata match of the season; they were supposed to play Mohammedan on February 16, but that match has been postponed.
The real challenge for the Shillong outfit will only just begin on Sunday, with the club having to play the bulk of their matches in the second half of the season away.
They enjoyed 10 home games in the first half, of which they won just three, but now Lajong will have to play six of their nine fixtures in this half away.
That will include five in a row, with United being the first, and with little time in between each mach and a lot of travel, the Reds need to be on top of their game.
“We need a strong and a positive start after the break and getting the three points will be great,” coach Thangboi Singto was quoted as saying on the club’s website on Saturday.
“United plays a good brand of football and they have good experienced players. It’s going to be a tough match for us but we have to perform together as a team and one unit to win.
“We will be missing Taisuke (Matsugae) and Milan (Singh), which is a big setback. But this will provide an opportunity to other players to play and do well,” he concluded.
Lajong will, however, have Trinidadian striker Cornell Glen, who has scored seven of the team’s 20 goals this season.
Uilliams Souza Silva is expected to make a comeback on Sunday after the Brazilian was out for a few months through injury.
The club will also likely play their only signing of the transfer window, Durga Boro of Assam.
Lajong were not idle during the break, taking part in the Federation Cup in Kerala, but that tournament proved to be a disappointment.
Although they won two of their three group games 4-0, they were also embarrassed by Mohun Bagan 6-0, leaving them out of the running for a semifinal place.
United, meanwhile, looked promising agaisnt Mumbai, especially through the new pairing of Eric Brown and Waheed up at front.
The Kolkatans could move within a point of Lajong if they win on Sunday, although Lajong will do all that they can to avoid that fate.
I-League 2013-14
Team P W L D GF GA Pts
Bengaluru FC 15 9 3 3 25 15 30
Sporting Clube de Goa 15 8 3 4 23 14 28
Pune FC 16 8 4 4 22 15 28
Salgaocar FC 16 7 6 3 20 19 24
Shillong Lajong FC 15 6 4 5 20 22 23
Dempo SC 16 4 5 7 15 17 19
East Bengal 12 5 3 4 18 12 19
United SC 16 4 5 7 16 18 19
Mohun Bagan 17 4 6 7 16 16 19
Mumbai FC 15 3 4 8 19 20 17
Churchill Brothers 16 3 7 6 15 21 15
Mohammedan Sporting 15 3 8 4 13 20 13
Rangdajied United FC 16 2 8 6 14 27 12