SHILLONG: Rangdajied United will look for redemption against Mohammedan Sporting at the Yuva Bharathi Krirangan in Salt Lake on Sunday in the penultimate round of the I-League 2013-14 Season.
The last time Rangdajied and Mohammedan met at the JN Stadium in Shillong, it was the Kolkata side which had triumphed 3-0, courtesy goals by Zerry, Tolgay and Joshimar.
However, much water has flown under the bridge since the October 2013 encounter between the two sides.
The coaches on both sides, who were at the helm of affairs then – Bola Aziz of Mohammedan and Santosh Kashyap of Rangdajied – are no longer in charge while a lot of players have also been shuffled by both the teams.
While the changes did not augur well for Mohammedan, who are presently reeling at the bottom of the table with 18 points, the reshuffle has been a blessing for Rangdajied, who, in a resurgence of sorts, moved up from their bottom spot to the 9th position in the points’ table with 22 points.
A win for Rangdajied is a must as it would help the Blues steer themselves clear off the dreaded relegation zone, with still having to play the Shillong Derby.
For the Sanjoy Sen side, a win might help them climb a spot, provided Churchill Brothers do not manage an upset win against Mumbai FC.
The Rangdajied camp is confident that they would secure three points on Sunday that would help the side get off the relegation zone for good.
The confidence is palpable in the side, which has been playing great football ever since Herring Shangpliang was entrusted with the coaching duties. Under him, Rangdajied won three back-to-back matches at home before losing against East Bengal in Kolkata.
This was followed by a 2-1 win over Salgaocar FC in Goa, when the team played under Asst. Coach, Khlain Syiemlieh. However, the Blues went down 1-2 in their home encounter against Sporting Goa.
With no injuries to any member of the side, the players are confident of giving that extra bit on the field to ensure three crucial points.
Ranti Martins, who joined the team from United SC on the transfer-day dateline, has already proved to be a savior for the team, having pumped in 7 goals in the 6 games he has played so far.
Martins, along with Kim Song and T. Lalnunpuia, are going to be the mainstay of the Rangdajied attack on Sunday.
In the middle, captain Eugeneson and Tomba will once again take the charge with Steven Dias and David Ngaihte likely to exploit the flanks. The backline will be held in place by the experienced Gouramangi and Tamba, with Yohei and Munmun lending support on either side. Rehnesh TP will be the shot stopper for the team.
The only thing that is a cause for a little worry among the Blues is the Kolkata heat, which has been on the higher side of the 30s over the last few days, a contrast to the cool weather back home. However, each member is ready for an action-packed 90 minutes that begins at 5 pm on Sunday.