SHILLONG: It will be a battle to regain the second spot when Royal Wahingdoh FC take on hosts McDowell Mohun Bagan in a Hero I-League match at the at Barasat Stadium, Kolkata on Wednesday evening.
The Royals are coming into the tie after an over two-week break and would look for a repeat performance against the Kolkatans in their second last match of the season. The tie is crucial in the way that a win will catapult the visitors to the second spot and keep them in hunt for the coveted title they so much aspire for in the debut season.
The last time the two teams met, Royals had created an upset by ending Bagan’s unbeaten run this season with a famous 3-2 victory in Shillong.
Bagan have never looked like the same side since that game registering only one win in their last five matches.
What is more alarming for the hosts is their recent back-to-back losses against Bharat FC and Sporting Clube de Goa who have had an indifferent run this season.
Wahingdoh on the other hand are on a mighty high after a 4-2 drubbing of Salgaocar in their last home game and the well deserved break in the run up to the ties in Kolkata is likely to add to their advantage in Kolkata.
Nothing can be more apt then RWFC ending its fairytale journey with two wins in Kolkata and coach Kashyap and his boys will leave no stone unturned to achieve this feat.
On the eve of the tie the former Bagan coach said that his boys are confident ahead of the tie and RWFC fans can look forward to a good contest.
The likes of Seityasen Singh and Jackichand Singh will be at the centre of attraction while the Densill Theobald, Bekay Bawar, Loveday and Kim Song Yong will also be eager to show their class.
Bagan, meanwhile, would look to get their act together on Wednesday to end their lowly run of late.
Coach Sanjoy Sen would certainly look to set the strings right in the backline while the famed Bagan front line would look to get back in the limelight in a tie which will surely decide the Mariners’ claim to the title.
All in all an exciting contest is on the cards between the two evenly balanced sides placed at the top half of the table.
