Kolkata/Kokrajhar: Having lost their group games, Kolkata giants Mohammedan Sporting and Odisha FC face must-win group games, kicking off the second week in the 132nd Durand Cup tournament with Mohammedan taking on Indian Navy Football Team in Kolkata’s Kishore Bharati Krirangan (KBK).
That Group B game on Friday will be followed by a clash between Odisha FC (OFC) and Rajasthan United FC (RUFC) in Group F at Kokrajhar’s SAI Stadium in the evening.
Mohammedan search for first win
Mohammedan Sporting, Kolkata’s famous Black and White brigade, are looking for their first win of the tournament against the Indian Navy Football Team (INFT) on Friday.
The local side coached by former India international and club player Mehrajuddin Wadoo, had a confidence-boosting win in the Kolkata premiere league following their first-game loss to the quality of Mumbai City FC and will be looking to get their Durand campaign back on track. The INFT on the other hand will be playing their first 132nd Durand Cup game.
While Wadoo will be hoping that key forward Beneston Barretto is back fit, that Argentinian Alexis Gomez starts firing, and that Ghanian Prince Opoku can get on to goal-scoring form, INFT will be depending on former Mohun Bagan center-back Dalraj Singh, to lead the resistance. That can then enable their talented players upfront like P.M. Britto and Shreyas V.G. to maybe take their opportunities and give INFT a win.
Tough for Odisha against Rajasthan United
I-League side Rajasthan United FC (RUFC) battled the weather, ground conditions, frenzied fan support for their opponents, and a doughty Bodoland FC side in their first group game, to take home three points. Those three points will come in handy on Friday against a young Odisha FC (OFC) side, who went down to the Indian Army team in its first match, thanks to a Liton Shil strike.
Sharing his thoughts ahead of their must-win game OFC coach Amit Rana said, “While our first match didn’t go our way, we’re staying humble and training well. The upcoming matches are opportunities for us to improve and show our potential. We’re focused on giving our best to qualify.”
Young players like Niraj Kumar in goal, captain Rakesh Oram and Raisen Tudu did show some of that potential and it remains to be seen how they match up to a well-rounded and confident Rajasthan side, articulated aptly in the words of their captain Hardik Bhatt ahead of the game.
“The win and the clean sheet in the very first game of the season has put us on the right path. Despite the weather conditions the boys have performed so well and it shows what we want to achieve this season. We are very confident of that,” he said.
“Regardless of our first result of Odisha’s first result, we know that they are a good young side and will come out full throttle. We are prepared for it. We have been working towards it. The boys are in great shape, the boys look hungry, and we want to achieve a lot this season. I think it’s going to be an interesting game,” he added.
William Pauliankhum got on board for RUFC in their first game and coach Pushpendra Kundu would ideally be eager to see his foreign striker Richardson Denzell also get into some scoring form before what could be their most important game against the Indian Army.
–IANS
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