Two games beginning simultaneously at two venues at 2 PM IST – one at Imphal’s Khuman Lampak stadium between local side Neroca FC and debutants Real Kashmir FC, and the other at Aizawl’s Rajiv Gandhi Stadium between hosts Aizawl FC and Goan giants Churchill Brothers FC might see the league’s third place decided at the end of 90 minutes.

The larger battle across the two games is really between Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir. The Goans are placed third currently with 34 points and will be ending their league campaign on Saturday.

Kashmir are a point behind in fourth, but with a re-scheduled game in hand against Minerva, will know that if they win on Saturday and Churchill do not, the third spot is secure and that would still qualify as a stupendous effort on debut.

It will certainly not be easy for the David Robertson-coached ‘Snow Leopards’, given Neroca are a proud team and are very strong at home, where they have lost only once in this campaign to Quess East Bengal, that too in their very first game over four months back.

Even in the first round clash at the TRC ground in Srinagar, Neroca ran out 2-0 winners over Kashmir, courtesy a brace by their premiere Nigerian striker Felix Chidi, who has found the back of the net seven times this season.

Kashmir have not won in three games, have been criss-crossing the country over the past 10 days and given the strength of their opponents, are in for a lot of hard work to cement third-spot on Saturday.

Churchill, on the other hand, will feel more confident if they can jog their memories back to the first-leg fixture between the two sides at the Tilak Maidan in Goa, where a rampant home side had overwhelmed Aizawl 4-1.

Under new coach Stanley Rozario however, Aizawl are a transformed and inspired side. They have picked up three wins in the last four matches and with the added incentive of finishing a spot above their current eighth position following a good result on Saturday, will be dangerous at home.

Churchill will bank heavily on the league’s joint top scorer Willis Plaza. The Trinidadian has had a phenomenal season and his 20 goals have been a masterclass in clinical finishing after a tough season last time around.

Both coaches Rozario and Churchill’s Romanian coach Petra Gigiu did not ooze confidence at the pre-match presser. While Gigiu was concerned about his players being tired after a gruelling season, the Aizawl coach had concerns on injuries and suspension. Both, however, promised a strong showing.

What will also please the Aizawl coach in particular, is the fact that in their previous two back-to-back wins, the team has scored seven goals and finally looked like gelling together as a team. Certainly, Saturday promises an exciting day of Hero I-League football.

Also Read: Joseph winner helps Gokulam steer clear of relegation

Also Read: Esqueda and East Bengal take title race to final day!

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The North-East derby kicks-off at 2 PM IST and the visitors will be looking to win this one and the next, to avoid the last two relegation spots, provided some other results in the league go their way.

The home side Aizawl are sitting in eighth spot with 18 points from as many games and with two wins in their last four games look safe for a mid-table finish.

They have picked themselves up and dished out some solid performances after the arrival of their new coach Stanley Rosario in the latter stages of the league.

Two players in particular, Liberian Ansumanah Kromah and local talent Mapuia have been the pick of their players and duo’s goals have helped the proud former champions form a more inglorious finish given a ragged campaign for most of the initial stages.

Speaking at the match-day eve Press Conference, coach Stanley Rozario said, “I am happy that I’m out of relegation. That is more important and so I came here and helped the team. We moved the team from bottom to up and qualified for Super Cup. Shillong Lajong is in the relegation zone and they will come up strong because they want points. Tomorrow’s match is very important for us as it is going to be a North-Eastern derby. I am confident about my boys. They will be taking the three points tomorrow.”

His counterpart Alison Khasyntiew of Shillong seemed to be well aware of the herculean task at hand but was full of hope during the presser sharing, “We have two games left in this league, one with Aizawl tomorrow and next game is home game with Mohun Bagan and if we win both these matches then we might be out of relegation. We have to work very hard tomorrow against Aizawl. Hopefully we will get the three points. Aizawl has been doing good. Last game they did well. Tomorrow it will be a difficult match for us and hoping for three points. In the home game we defeated Aizawl so I hope tomorrow we will be able to defeat them.”

The ‘home-game’ he referred to was the first-leg fixture between the two-sides back in October last year, where his young and talented side bereft of any foreigners or big name players had given the best display of their attacking potential in a 2-1 victory. A Mahesh Naorem Singh left-footed screamer had announced the youngster on the national stage on that occasion.

The youngsters have developed well during the course of the league and have scored 20 goals so far, just one less than their Monday rivals, however their inexperience have cost them in their defence, leaking a whopping 49 goals over the league period, to find themselves in the position they are today.

Alison was right. If Shillong can take inspiration from that game back in October, Aizawl can well be surprised again on their home ground.

Also Read: East Bengal deliver KO to Real Kashmir!

Also Read: Edu Garcia leads ATK to 2-1 win over Delhi

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The match kicks off at 2 pm IST.

Hosts Aizawl is seventh with 14 points from 15 games. The Mizoram team has now picked up five points since new coach Stanley Rosario took over. They also have a game in hand over Bagan.

Bagan, on the other hand, is currently sixth and will give it their all to finish as high up the table as possible.

Aizawl is clear favorites for this game. The first leg in Kolkata ended in a 2-2 draw thanks to a brilliant freekick by David in added time. That game probably started Bagan’s slide. Aizawl beat Minerva Punjab FC in their previous game. Surely a confidence booster! Bagan has lost one and drawn two, going into Saturday’s contest.

Bagan looks formidable thanks to an attack comprising of Cameroon striker Dipanda Dicka (he has scored seven goals so far), Ugandan forward Henry Kisekka and Haitian winger Sony Norde.

Coach Khalid Jamil was very clear about his ambitions at the pre-match press conference: “We are not thinking about the past. We are not taking tomorrow’s match lightly. We are trying to concentrate all through the 90 minutes. Aizwal’s management is good and they have good players. We must finish well, our target is to finish top four.”

The new coach is trying to build a fighting unit. He is known to be defensive in his approach. Bagan has displayed a compact and tactical defence. The back-four comprising of Eze Kingsley, Gurtej Singh, Bikramjtit Singh, and Amey Ranawade has exhibited a valiant defensive show. They have cut-off the supply for the opposition.

Aizawl’s last game against Gokulam Kerala was postponed. They were stuck in Kashmir due to heavy snowfall after their match against Real Kashmir FC. Aizawl, therefore, will play after a rest of 15 days. That would be an added advantage on home turf!

Coach Stanley Rozario drove home that point in the pre-game presser: “After I got the charge of the team, there were a few transformations and we had different results in the past three matches and they were all big matches.

“Tomorrow’s game is with a big team and we will try to give our best. The Mizo players are very talented. If they play well and as a team then definitely we can be in a better position,” he said. “The three points are very important for us tomorrow. Mohun Began has good players but they are also struggling for results. We have an upper hand since its a home match,” he said.

They have had sparks in Mapuia and David, while foreigners Kromah, Dodoz and Jaryan have been at par. For some reason, the team has not been able to gel well. We are all set for an entertaining game of football!

Also Read: Gokulam face Arrows as Super Cup qualification beckons

Also Read: Ralte tricks as East Bengal slam five past Lajong

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