I-League: Bengaluru FC host Salgaocar FC in crucial fixture!

Hero I-LeagueIn a pulsating Round 17 – Hero I-League fixture Bengaluru FC shall play host to Salgaocar FC. The battle for the coveted I-league title shall take place at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru on April 17, at 07:05pm as the home side eye their 2nd title since the 2013/14 season. The Blues are coming fresh off a victory against Burmese outfit Ayeyawady United FC on Thursday at the same venue. In the Hero I-League Bengaluru FC are on an undefeated streak of 6 games which comprise of 2 draws and 4 victories. In the last game the Blues were able to put aside Kolkata giants East Bengal in a 3-1 victory at home.

Speaking to the press Head Coach Ashley Westwood was confident, “We are at home, chance for us to put up a good performance in front of our fans.”

When asked about the tension in this crucial fixture, “I have no expectations, it is a normal game of football, we will play for win. Everything is in our hands, hope we’ll put up a good performance, and get results thereafter.” He also spoke on the depth of his squad he commented, “when Eugenson got injured, Shankar came in and did a good job for us, then he got injured! We always got the capability to shuffle around. Should he have been fit throughout the season, he probably wouldn’t have played all the games, we would have rotated him. It is just another opportunity for players to step into his shoes.”

The Goan outfit themselves are undefeated in their last 5 games in which they have come up with 3 victories and 2 ties. In their last fixture the Greens travelled to Aizwal & became the 3rd team to defeat the Mizoram side at home. A jovial Greens Gaffer Santosh Kashyap quipped, “we are not in pressure, the pressure is on Bengaluru FC.”

Salgaocar have another round left after this and would surely like to climb up the points table and keep things interesting. ”We will see how we can put more pressure on them, so that they crack,” said Santosh Kashyap, and he also added, “We’ve achieved our first objective, which is to avoid relegation. Now we are aiming to finish in the top four and we will achieve this only by playing well in the last two rounds.”

When speaking to the press the Goan Gaffer confirmed the absence of their star striker Darryl Duffy owing to a card suspension, the other players expected to not play include Gurjinder Kumar, Calvin Mbarga and Clifton Dias.

About Arunava Chaudhuri

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