I-League Media Team

SHILLONG: One week after their triumphant 3-1 performance over Shillong Lajong FC, Salgaocar FC will take on the Hero I-League’s second team from Shillong, Royal Wahingdoh FC, in what is expected to be a high voltage clash at the JN Stadium here on Sunday.

Wahingdoh coach was not too pleased after his team were held to a 1-1 draw against Mumbai FC here last Sunday, describing star striker Jackichand Singh as unable to adapt to “stardom”, while Seityasen Singh looked “confused” on the pitch. Although he reserved praise for his defenders and midfield, it will be interesting to see if those harsh words for his forwards have any effect, positive or negative.

This will be the Royals’ last home game of the season and, if nothing else, the club will want to perform well for the fans. Over the course of the season attendance at Wahingdoh games has risen from an average of around 6,000 to double that, which was no small feat as the club had to reach out and spread its fan base from its traditional confines of just one locality in Shillong.

The carnival atmosphere at every RWFC game has set the mood, but the fans have been drawn to the exciting brand of football that the players have employed, which even saw them challenging for the title in their maiden season of top tier football.

However, those ambitions look a little out of reach now, as the Royals are in third place with 27 points, behind Bengaluru FC and leaders Mohun Bagan, who have games in hand.

Salgaocar, meanwhile, should be fully rested for their Sunday encounter. The victory over Lajong was their first of the season away from Goan soil and that would have boosted their confidence no end.

Derrick Pereira’s men are currently occupying sixth place in the standings on 17 points, six points adrift of Pune FC. Early goals against SLFC set the tone for the rest of the game and the Greens will hope to repeat the same sort of thing against Wahingdoh, but they will have to be prepared to resist relentless attacks from the hosts, whose attacking style of play has won them plaudits, even if it is not always successful, as was proved in the game against Mumbai, who were able to hold them at bay.

Daryl Duffy is still not fully fit, but other players like Douhou Pierre, Augustin Fernandes, the racy Bikash Jairu and Karanjit Singh under the bar all performed well in the last game and Perreira will have to put his faith in these players if they are to leave Shillong with even more points in their kitty.

Kick-off: 03-05-2015@4:30 PM
Hashtag: #RWFCvSFC