Hero I-League: Sporting Clube de Goa vs Aizawl FC – Match preview

by FC Admin April 6, 2016

GOA: Hero I-League comes back to Goa as Sporting Clube de Goa host Aizawl FC on Wednesday.

With the Hero I-League entering into the final phase of its schedule, the Flaming Oranje find themselves at the fourth position on the table with fourteen points to their credit. However, the position on the table does not replicate their safety in India’s premier football competition.

Five sides are separated by two points with Sporting leading the pack and Mumbai FC at the bottom with twelve. Understandably, a couple of bad or good results could find any of them in the red zone and out of the Hero I-League next season.

Sporting heads into the fixture on the back of a 3-1 thumping by DSK Shivajians. Three goals from the hosts in the first 35 minutes destroyed the Goan side’s aspirations of catching up with Kingfisher East Bengal and put them out of the title race.

However, with no expectation of pressing for the title, Sporting can find a new lease of life in the last set of games. Odafa Okolie could play a role in the game after undergoing surgery last month while the club has signed striker Charles, who might feature in the game, Costa confirmed.

“Yes, of course. There is not a lot of difference between the bottom placed club and us and this is a very important match,” Costa said whether his side is facing a battle to avoid relegation.

Odafa Okolie might not be able to start the game but he could find himself on the bench. Victorino Fernandes will start in the Nigerian’s place and Sporting will pose a big threat to the visiting team.

Aizawl FC threw away a two-goal lead in their previous game versus Shillong Lajong, to lose 3-2 on the night.

The Highlanders find themselves in the eighth position on the table heading into the fixture, but back themselves to beat Sporting, confirmed Jahar Das. “Yes we are in a relegation battle, there is no doubt in that. But we have the distinction of beating the top most team in the league, Mohun Bagan. We play with the confidence that we can beat any team we face,” Das boasted.

Aizawl FC have dished out a good brand of football on a plethora of occasions but they have given their advantages most times. The onus will be on the more experienced players to turn up in humid Goa and put in a performance for the scrapbooks.

With both sides pretty much in the mix of the fight to avoid the drop, it will be interesting to see who out of them holds their nerve.

The match will kick off at 4:30 PM at the Fatorda Stadium and it’ll be broadcast live on I-League.Org.

by i-league media