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Pune FC’s unbeaten seven-match run coupled with a fully fit squad is the best of mind sets the squad can ever boast ahead of their leg-2 of the I-League clash against bitter rivals East Bengal at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mhalunge- Balewadi, on Saturday.
Having met twice before this season, East Bengal so far has turned out to be a nightmare for Pune FC as periodic injuries to several key players has put a spoke in Coach Derrick Pereira’s game plans in initial rounds.
While Pune FC are wary of this match-after-match occurrence against the Kolkata side, coach Derrick looks ahead by explaining, “Based on the performance we have dished out so far and the fit squad at my disposal we begin in a better position than before and seek a good result.”
East Bengal, in fact, goes into this Round-14 encounter suffering two successive losses back home in the Kolkata Premier League, and thus hands Pune FC reason to be eager.
Ask about the possibility of a backlash cropping up, the coach explains, “As a team East Bengal does play good football… They have good players in their ranks and the match will be equally competitive. One thing is for sure they (East Bengal) are playing away from home so for them there will be no pressure.”
For the record, the Kolkata side are the best team on the road this season winning four out of their five matches outside Kolkata and have only lost to Salgaocar SC. Likewise another statistic Pune FC will keep an eye on is the opponents high scoring record in away matches.
Having lost twice this season, Pune FC understandably seeks revenge. Likewise, Pune FC would also be keen to keep the trend of beating their rivals at least once in a season. In the past two seasons Pune FC has scored identical 2-1 wins once respectively.
Pune FC (22 points) currently occupy fifth spot and getting on with the job remains a top-priority particularly when they are just five points off the league leaders.
“The second-leg is as important as the first and there is no two ways about it. We of course and always will be looking at the match by match situation to earn maximum points,” added the Pune FC coach.
On changes in the squad that beat Kolkata’s Mohun Bagan in the last encounter, Derrick was clear and said, “We have the same squad in place barring NS Manju.” The newly acquired on-loan defender is nursing an ankle injury sustained during a practice session.
With Manju out for the match, medio Jayashelan Prasad gets into the squad.
“Play to win,” is the advice coach Derrick has for his players and in same breath adds, “We are better as compared to the last two times we played them this season.”
Both Pune FC and their opponents have clashed seven times before and Saturday’s hosts have never bowed in home games with a 0-0 draw and a 2-1 win standing testimony to the home-sides dominance at home.
FORM RUN (Last 5 matches)
Pune FC: (5th; 22 points): W-D-W-D-W-W
East Bengal (2nd; 26 points): W-L-W-D-W
HEAD-2-HEAD
09/11/11 IL East Bengal 3-1 Pune FC
19/09/11 FEC Pune FC 1-2 East Bengal
18/04/11 IL Pune FC 2-1 East Bengal
08/01/11 IL East Bengal 1-0 Pune FC
25/09/10 FEC East Bengal 1-0 Pune FC
02/03/10 IL East Bengal 1-2 Pune FC
03/10/09 IL Pune FC 0-0 East Bengal
