The fight is between the second and the fourth placed team in the current points table in Hero I-League when Bengaluru FC hosts Kingfisher East Bengal tomorrow, 7 pm, at Shree Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore.
With 5 rounds to play and just two points separating them, both the teams are in title contention.
Bengaluru FC and Kingfisher East Bengal both represented in the AFC Cup. Bengaluru have had balanced Hero I-League and AFC Cup commitments quite ably so far, especially the AFC Cup, where participating teams find hard focus both. They have already qualified for the next round and with a game left against the Persipura Jayapura at home, they can still top the group.
The story is possibly not the same for Kingfisher East Bengal, they have already eliminated from the AFC Cup competition. But then they have a key stat that is favoring them – the fact that they have remained unbeaten against the Steelmen thus far!
However, the unbeaten tag is surely not giving them any comfort as the team looks depleted, owing to injury. As many as half of the players from the starting eleven are battling with injury! Dudu Omagbemi, Leo Bertos, Harmanjot Khabra, and company are all doubtful for tomorrow’s game.
It must have been really challenging task for the Bengaluru gaffer in terms of taking his team to the last 16 of the AFC Cup and then eyeing to keep back the I-League. Speaking to the media, Ashley sounded nonchalant, “We focus only for the next game and try to win every game we play. The fact that we lost only four game in the season reflects we try and win every one! That’s what we will be doing till the end of the season.”
The real deal for the hosts would be the first win against the Kolkata giants and stay in contention for the title.
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