AIFF Media Team

HYDERABAD: Current Hero I-League leaders Sreenidi Deccan FC will do everything possible to continue their winning streak when they host Rajasthan United FC at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad on Sunday, February 12, 2023.The kick-off is slated for 3:00 pm.

The 2-1 victory for Sreenidi Deccan in their previous match against TRAU was significant since they became the first team to defeat the Red Pythons at their home. The win also gave the Deccan Warriors a three-point lead at the top, but it was quickly cut down by RoundGlass Punjab, who won away against defending champions Gokulam Kerala by an identical margin.

Now, with a big gap between the first two and the third team in the Hero I-League points table, there is every possibility it could prove to be a two-horse race for the title. On Sunday, Sreenidi Deccan will have another opportunity to go three points up and put pressure on the Punjab side provided they manage to log three points against Rajasthan United.

“It was a very important match (against TRAU), we knew it was really difficult to play there. We had some difficulties on the road, but to go there and be the first team to get three points against a good team, I am really happy with the performance,” Sreenidi Deccan head coach Carlos Vaz Pinto said on his team’s victory in Imphal.

Given Rajasthan United’s current form, which includes just one win in the last five games, Carlos Vaz Pinto can expect to have a favourable result. But then, the unpredictability of the I-League final stretch has always upset many calculations.

Interestingly, Rajasthan United’s only win in the new year came when the Desert Warriors picked up a narrow 1-0 win over Sreenidi Deccan. Pinto reflected on the previous game and said he expected another fighting display from their opponents tomorrow. “We cannot concede like we did in that game. We know they are a good team. They have lost a few key players in the market, but they still play with a similar style. They also need points and will surely put up a good fight.” the Portuguese coach said.

Rajasthan United head coach Pushpender Kundu believes the previous game against Sreenidi Deccan is history. Given their involvement in the title race, he feels the Deccan Warriors will be even more competitive. “We will try to get a similar result but again, it was a different story in the past. Now the title race is heating up between Sreenidi and Punjab, so, definitely, they will come for the three points,” he said.

On their previous match against Aizawl, Kundu said his team deserved a better result. However, he feels the confidence in the dressing room is still high and his players are ready to put on a strong display tomorrow.

“My boys are really strong, we played well in our last game, but somehow the result was not in our favour. Our confidence is not down. After every match, we come with the same energy and try to do better in our next game. We are looking for a positive result against Sreenidi,” Kundu said.

The match between Sreenidi Deccan and Rajasthan United will be aired live on Eurosport and Doordarshan Sports and streamed live on the Discovery Plus OTT platform at 3:00 pm IST.