East Bengal look too strong for Mukti Joddha

On a high after their stupendous run in the ongoing National Football League, Indian football's best-known name East Bengal will hold the edge in the AFC Cup match against Bangladesh's Mukti Joddha Sansad, who are hamstrung by lack of competitive exposure for the last six months.

East Bengal, who lifted the NFL title for the last two years, lead the table in the current edition after the first phase with 24 points from 11 matches, four points ahead of second-placed Dempo Sports Club of Goa.

Mukti Joddha, on the other hand, played their last tournament in September, when they went down 0-3 to East Bengal and 1-3 to Mohammedan Sporting to bow out at the league stage of the IFA Shield tournament in Kolkata.

"As per the calendar in our country, we didn't get to play any tournament after that last season. We have just completed a two-month pre-season training this year. But it would have been better had we played some competitive games before coming here," Mukti Joddha coach Safiqul Islam Manick said on the eve of the Group A league match.

Jordan's Al Faisaly and Turkmenistan's Nebitchi F C are the other teams in the group.

Manick conceded that East Bengal are the favourites for Wednesday's match at the Salt Lake stadium.

"They are the better side. They are one of the best teams in India and have had a good run in the NFL so far. Moreover, the home side always has some advantage in such matches," said Manick, who has been coaching Mukti Joddha since 1995.

East Bengal star striker Baichung Bhutia, who has been in good form of late netting seven goals in the NFL, said the absence of midfield dynamo Douglas da Silva would be felt.

Brazilian Douglas is ruled out of action for three months after undergoing surgery for a shin bone fracture.

"We have to play a team game. We are all working hard. And I hope we will do well," Bhutia said.

Last year, East Bengal put up a decent performance in the AFC Cup, reaching the quarter-finals, where they lost to Syrian outfit Al Jaish.

East Bengal have a star-studded outfit including three foreigners Jeremiah, Juliano Martins and Douglas's replacement, Marcos. While Marcos is yet to turn out for a match, Jeremiah and Juliano have not come anywhere near the sparkling form displayed by Christiano Junior last year.

East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick would be banking on a good performance from his in-form attacking midfielders Climax Lawrence and Alvito D'Cunha to put it across the opponents from across the border in the floodlit encounter.

Climax, in particular, has played a crucial role in the NFL so far, scoring as many as seven goals.

Mukti Joddha, on the other hand, boast of eight players who have donned the colours of the Bangladesh national side at some time or the other.

The squad also includes two African defenders – Ghanaian Charles Ghansa Benin and Rwandan Habimana Harry.

But despite conceding the favourites' tag to East Bengal, Maniick said he is hopeful of a good performance.

"It may be a win or a draw," he added.