Hero I-League: East Bengal aim to maintain winning streak against Lajong

by FC Admin February 13, 2019

Kolkata, February 13, 2019: Quess East Bengal (QEB) host Shillong Lajong FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) on Thursday knowing that a slip-up would kill off any hopes of winning a first-ever I-League title.

Shillong is in good form and is aiming to get out of the relegation zone. The game will kick off at 5 PM IST at the Salt Lake stadium.

The hosts are on 28 points from 14 games. Leaders Chennai City FC is on 34, having played two games more. A win on Thursday will take QEB into third place. Shillong is the bottom-placed side at the moment, having earned just 10 points from 15 games.

QEB has won three games on the trot. Shillong notched up two wins against Churchill Brothers and Minerva Punjab FC respectively. A confidence booster to Allison Kharsyntiew’s young team!

“We have a belief that we can definitely score and give our best for tomorrow’s game. East Bengal is a very good team they have skilled players, but we have to try for the three points. Our strategy will be teamwork and to play attacking football. We have to work very hard to be in a better position on the points table. Just hoping the boys to score more goals in tomorrow’s match,” said Kharsyntiew in the pre-game press conference.

For all of their attacking prowess, a leaky back-line has been Shillong’s undoing this season. They conceded a whopping 39 goals.

QEB look solid and Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia has put together a team with most bases plugged.

They are the third-highest scoring team and the third-lowest team in terms of goals conceded. QEB is third on the list of most clean sheets.

QEB’s attack looks menacing with the league’s highest Indian scorer Jobby Justin. Enrique Esqueda is back from injury and young Spaniard Jamie Santos Colado and Laldanmawia Ralte have delivered up front.

Justin scored two of his eight league goals in the away fixture against Shillong and helped QEB win 3-1.

Garcia’s thoroughly professional approach was evident in the pre-game press conference: “We have to respect the opponent. They have been having good results and we think that if we don’t respect the opponent, we won’t be winning the match. Have been thinking about tomorrow’s match only and not about the final day. Shillong team’s strong point is they try to have more ball possession and have many players in the center and make combination passes. Their strikers are fast and have good control of the ball.”

QEB supporters will be there in numbers to back their team.

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