AIFF Media Team
Kolkata, February 16, 2019: Home side Quess East Bengal (QEB), in red hot form and in the midst of a four-game winning streak, face Goan side Churchill Brothers FC on Sunday, February 17, 2019, at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), in a return leg 12th Hero I-League clash.
The Red & Golds will have an eye on league leaders Chennai City FC, who are just three points ahead of the third-placed Kolkata Giants after having played a game more.
The game, scheduled for a 5 pm IST kick-off under lights, is also crucial for the visitors who are placed fourth at the moment with 30 points and a win on Sunday, could catapult them to the second position at this crucial business-end of the league.
The hosts had eked out an impressive odd-goal in the victory over their Sunday opponents when the two had met in the first leg in end-December last year, and the way they overwhelmed Shillong Lajong 5-0 in their previous game, Churchill Brothers will be wary of QEB’s form at home.
QEB have now been metamorphosed into a formidable unit by Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia who has both got the best out of Indian as well as foreign players and by also using the squad judiciously throughout the campaign.
A reflection of what he has achieved with the side is the fact that his is the only side in the 11-team league, which has an Indian, Jobby Justin, as their highest scorer with nine goals.
In fact, both his top scorers are Indians with Laldanmawia Ralte, the dimunitive Mizo winger having a stellar season, scoring seven for himself and his team in the process.
The coach was respectful of his opponents on matchday eve saying, “Churchill Brothers is a difficult team. This team has always been close to the top of the table and they score very easily which is very dangerous for our team. I prepare to win matches and if I prepare something for defence, then it will not be for one player. It will be for defending against the team and to avoid the opponent getting chances. We have our plan to win against Churchill Brothers and not against Plaza or anyone individually.”
Churchill have lost their way a little bit in recent times, having picked up just two points in their last three games, which included a shock-loss to bottom placed Shillong Lajong at home and this run at such a crucial stage of the league could come back to haunt them later.
They have had two standout contributors this season. Trinidadian striker Willis Deon Plaza has notched up a phenomenal 17 goals in as many games and at one small stage of the campaign, was scoring at will.
Inspirational leader Dawda Cessay of Gambia has been the other standout not only with his crucial goals but also with his nine assists, which are by far the most by any player in the league. As revealed by their coach, his absence will be big for Churchill on Sunday.
Among other things, Churchill’s Romanian coach Petre Gigui said, “Tomorrow’s match is not a do or die match for us. We will be fighting like every other game but it will be difficult. It is not the same atmosphere because we have lost many points in the last three games. Maybe the pressure was too much and at the same time we don’t have the complete first 11 players – Eldor, Ceesay, Mohanraj, Richard Costa – they are all injured and won’t be playing tomorrow. Tomorrow we will be playing against a very good team. They have good players and very good foreigners too. Plus their spectators support will be there because the people in Kolkata love their football.”
Both teams are hard to stop on their day and both teams have a lot of pride and pedigree that they play for, every time they take the field.
It will surely be yet another cracker at the VYBK on Sunday.
