DSK Shivajians v Churchill Brothers
Saturday, January 21, 4:30 pm
Never met before
DSK Shivajians finally got their 2017 I-League going in their last match, with Kim Song Yong and Juan Quero coming to the party for the Pune-based club against Chennai City. Sasa Kolunija was solid in defence and Jerry Lalrinzuala showed glimpses of why he was rated so highly by his Indian Super League coach Marco Materrazzi as a left-back. Shivajians also have depth in their squad and head coach Dave Rogers might be tempted to tweak his line-up a bit to keep some players fresh for future matches. Churchill Brothers, on the other hand, are still seeking their first points of this season and back-to-back defeats at home haven't helped their confidence. There's a sense that Churchill Brothers are putting a lot of heart into their performance but the lack of an incisive striker and an authoritative player in the centre of the field is preventing them from dictating the pace and cadence of matches. It might need virtuoso performances from Anthony Wolfe and Brandon Fernandes to remedy those shortcomings for the two-time champions.
Chennai City v Mohun Bagan
Saturday, January 21, 7 pm
Never met before
Chennai City return home for the second time after having hosted Minerva Punjab in the opening round, and the biggest thing missing from their repertoire is goals. Head coach Robin Charles Raja tried a different combination in their previous match in Pune, with Prasanth Karuthadathkuni and Malsawmfela looking to feed Brazilian striker Charles in the final third. There was a distinct lack of cohesion -- something they must get right against the four-time national champions and one of the two form teams of the league. Mohun Bagan are yet to concede a goal and have cruised through their three home games thus far. Sony Norde made his first start against Minerva Punjab in the last game, and his speed and bag of skills made him a handful down the left flank when Bagan got going. With Katsumi Yusa operating on the other flank, expect a tough day at work for the likes of Debabrata Roy and Abhishek Das in the full-back positions.
Shillong Lajong v Minerva Punjab
Saturday, January 21, 7 pm
Never met before
The draw has not been charitable to either Shillong Lajong or Minerva Punjab -- while the latter have a fourth successive away game to start life as an I-League team, Lajong have had to face the two most recent champions and then their regional rivals. Lajong -- who have lost all their matches so far -- will enjoy the support of the Nehru Stadium in Shillong for the first time though, and an evening kick-off will make things even more difficult for the visitors. Forward Redeem Tlang, who looked lively in the last match against Aizawl FC, will hope to combine better with the likes of Fabio Pena and Aser Dipanda to give Lajong their first points. Minerva lost 4-0 to Mohun Bagan but had some moments of joy with Anirudh Thapa, Ivan Filatov and midfielder Altamash Sayed playing short passes. This match could well hinge on which team keeps greater possession and makes fewer errors in defence, since both have a combined total of one goal scored in the six matches they have played.
East Bengal v Bengaluru FC
Sunday, January 22, 4:30 pm
Pld - 6, W - 3, L - 3, GF - 6, GA - 7
Defending champions Bengaluru FC have coasted along and find themselves ahead of Mohun Bagan on goal difference after a sequence of three home games where they scored eight goals and conceded none. East Bengal have been a prickly opposition for them in the past, with each of their six league matches producing a result. East Bengal did the double over them in their victorious campaign in 2013-14, but Bengaluru now have had three successive wins since a 3-0 victory at home in May 2015. East Bengal are slowly beginning to look like a well-oiled unit, though they tend to take a lot of time over their build-up play. That and the lack of speed in defence among the likes of Gurwinder Singh and Ivan Bukenya could be critical in a match against a team packed with attacking talent and with Sunil Chhetri yet to score a goal in competitive football since October 19.
Mumbai FC v Aizawl FC
Sunday, January 22, 7 pm
Pld - 2, L - 1, D - 1, GF - 2, GA - 4
Mumbai FC prepare to face their former head coach Khalid Jamil for the first time, and the prospect is an intriguing one considering how the two teams have begun the 2017 campaign. Mumbai won their first two games, including the first at home at the Cooperage, before suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of champions Bengaluru FC. Meanwhile, Jamil's Aizawl are unbeaten, taking the confidence from a 1-1 draw away to East Bengal in the first round of matches to win their next games at home. For Aizawl, Mahmoud Al Amna has added creativity and an attacking flair since joining the team, with his combination with former Mumbai FC man Jayesh Rane standing out. Mumbai coach Santosh Kashyap has pedigree in the shape of players like Steven Dias, Thoi Singh and Siam Hanghal, and will probably look to be a bit more attacking than they understandably were away to Bengaluru.
All stats courtesy Gautam Roy, football historian and media manager of East Bengal football club.