Salgaocar Sports Club coach Karim Bencherifa needs additional proof that his side is now on the road to recovery in the I-League.
Salgaocar have picked up seven points from their last three games but a win against Shillong Lajong FC at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Wednesday would be definite proof that the defending champions are back in form.
“We have had some good results but we lacked consistency. We need to keep on winning to achieve some level of consistency,” said Bencherifa.
Bencherifa believes Salgaocar’s 4-0 demolition of East Bengal has done the team’s confidence a world of good and they are now ready to show the same level of determination.
“The win against East Bengal was huge. Now we need to grab wins consistently, improve our points tally and keep moving ahead. A draw will be an unsatisfactory result against Lajong,” he added.
“Lajong, though I must add, is a tricky side. They are very unpredictably and can defeat any team on their day,” the Coach said.
The coach would do well to remember how Lajong stretched them to the limit in the semifinals of the Federation Cup. Salgaocar eventually won the semifinal but Bencherifa is aware that there will not be any easy pickings.
Shillong Lajong has faced heavy defeats in all of their three matches played at Fatorda. Lajong have conceded 14 goals in the three matches played here, and Coach Pradhyum Reddy would certainly be hoping for an improved performance.
Both salgaocar and Shillong lajong have 16 points in their kitty from 12 matches but the defending champions are placed ahead on goal difference.