Football
Debayan Sen 7y

East Bengal look to extend unbeaten run, Minerva eye first win

There are only four midweek I-League games in round six this time around, with both Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan busy with their AFC commitments. The two former champions were originally scheduled to clash in this round, but that home match for Bagan has now been pushed back to April 1 at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium.

Shillong Lajong v Chennai City

Tuesday, January 31, 4:30 PM

H2H: Never met before

Shillong Lajong head into their third successive home game this season as the form team of the I-League, following a resounding 3-1 win against Mumbai FC over the weekend. Cameroonian striker Aser Dipanda has scored three goals in the last two games, solving one of coach Thangboi Singto's biggest problem areas from last season. Chennai City will also take some confidence into this away game, after their first I-League win over Aizawl FC at home. Chennai have the heft of experience in their ranks, but the team is yet to gel as well as their opponents have done in the last two matches. Lajong should start favourites, but a strong Chennai performance cannot be ruled out.

Aizawl FC v DSK Shivajians

Wednesday, February 1, 2 pm

H2H: Pld - 2, W - 2, GF - 3, GA - 0

Aizawl FC were a bit complacent in their last match away in Chennai, and paid a heavy price for it, losing 2-0 in the process. Expect Khalid Jamil to galvanise his team and remind them that going level on points with Mohun Bagan and East Bengal could be on the line with the earliest kick-off on Wednesday against DSK Shivajians. Shivajians have been playing some good football of late, and coach Dave Rogers has done well to strengthen the defence in the last three games, where the Pune-based club have conceded just one goal from a set-piece against Churchill Brothers. Sasa Kolunija has been one of the most consistent performers in the back four, and expect him to have another busy afternoon against a team that won both meetings in the debut season for the two sides last year.

Minerva Punjab v Churchill Brothers

Wednesday, February 1, 4:30 pm

H2H: Never met before

Minerva Punjab entered the I-League with high hopes, but their performances since a gritty draw away to fellow-debutants Chennai City FC in their opening match have seen a consistent dip, and arresting that pattern would be the first priority for coach Surinder Singh. Singh has found it difficult to forge his most effective defensive combination, and the absence of a second goalkeeper good enough to replace the solid Ravi Kumar has also cost the team, since Kumar's injury in Minerva's second game away in Aizawl. Churchill Brothers have understandably not played with the swagger of former champions -- the current team is one without enough marquee names -- but they are just beginning to put together the signs of fluency, especially in attack, as they did in pulling off the big scalp of the champions Bengaluru FC. There are enough experienced players in the Churchill Brothers squad who know what it is like to travel to Ludhiana and win matches, and they will be the ones who will hope to stand up and be counted in order to keep Minerva's winless streak going.

East Bengal v Mumbai FC

Wednesday, February 1, 7 pm

H2H: Pld - 16, W - 4, L - 6, D-6, GF - 22, GA - 20

Mumbai FC have always been a difficult team for East Bengal to contend with, a record that goes back to their first meeting in Kolkata in 2008 which went 1-0 in favour of the team then making its debut. Under former coach Khalid Jamil, Mumbai were combative and unyielding, qualities that also helped them draw both their meetings last season. This year, coach Santosh Kashyap began well with successive wins, but the Mumbai campaign has come off the hinges somewhat. In contrast, East Bengal began with a nervy 1-1 draw against Jamil's present side Aizawl FC, but since then have seen a number of factors come together. The three foreigners outside of the AFC, defender Ivan Bukenya, striker Willis Plaza and midfielder Wedson Anselme have all been pulling their weight. Anselme also chipped in with a hat-trick in their last match away to Minerva Punjab. Coach Trevor Morgan will look to this match to open up a three-point gap with Mohun Bagan at the top of the points table, as also keep the winning habit going.

All stats courtesy Gautam Roy, football historian and media manager of East Bengal football club.

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