Chennai: Former champions Aizawl FC will look to stave off an imminent threat of relegation when they take on table-toppers Chennai City FC in an I-League fixture here on Friday.
The gulf in quality between the two teams is as huge as the 17-point difference that separates them on the points table. Aizawl have parted ways with Gift Raikhan, who was at the helm for the first 10 games and have brought in Stanley Rosario, whose first game in charge was encouraging given they were able to hold a surging Real Kashmir to a goalless draw.
However, it will be a completely different proposition taking on the hosts under lights at Coimbatore’s Nehru stadium. The visitors would have to encounter an attack comprising of the league’s joint highest scorer Pedro Manzi and fellow Spanish midfield maestros Nestor Jesus and Sandro Rodriguez, along with the likes of Romario Jesuraj and others.
The home side is coming off a brilliant come-from-behind victory against East Bengal in their previous game four days back and that is sure to boost the confidence of the Akbar Nawas-coached side even more. The only statistic that Aizawl can take some solace from is the fact that they have won three out of their last five games and that they gave a good fight to Chennai in the first leg fixture at home. As the title race is getting tight by each clash, East Bengal will go full throttle against talented Indian Arrows in their I-League return-leg clash at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, here on Friday.
The two teams met 10 days back with the Kolkata giants emerging winners but to the Arrows’ credit, they put up a great fight and even scored in the dying stages against a team which boasts of a World-Cupper in their defence. The young Indian Arrows squad coached by Floyd Pinto will look to sustain the momentum gained over the last five games, a period in which they notched up nine of their 13 points, placing them in the eighth position. They registered their fourth win of the season four days back against Shillong Lajong, whom they swamped 3-0 at their home. The hosts, however, have also played some solid football over the past few weeks though they felt the heat, when put under pressure. Their Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia said, “We will keep giving our best shot. We are in the league and there are many matches left and if we play well, get the points and continue winning, we can still fight for the title.” (PTI)
