Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Football

I-League Qualifier 2020: Mohammedan Sporting take on newcomers ARA FC

I-League Qualifier 2020: Mohammedan Sporting take on newcomers ARA FC
X
By

PTI

Published: 10 Oct 2020 12:37 PM GMT

Mohammedan Sporting will look to put their missed chances from the previous game behind as they play newcomers ARA FC in the I-League Qualifiers here on Sunday. The match will be played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. Mohammedan head coach Yan Law stressed on the innumerable chances that his side missed in the previous match.

Star striker Willis Plaza's penalty hit the woodwork, and another clear cut chance also met the same fate against Garhwal FC. "It is unfortunate that we missed so many chances in the last game. We even hit the woodwork twice. It just wasn't our day. Perhaps it was down to a lack of concentration in the final third, but we have been working on it during our training sessions," said Law.

"We have also had a few review sessions on what needs to be done for the next match. The boys are all charged up again. They are eager to pick up the three points again," he added. Meanwhile ARA FC, the first side from Ahmedabad to compete in the second division league last season, will be playing their first match of the I-League Qualifiers.

Head coach Vivek Nagul echoed the sentiments of the squad, which is eager to return to football after a long time. "The boys are playing really well. When you are going to play a match for the first time in such a long time, the mood in the camp is bound to be good," said Nagul.

He stated that his charges were prepared to carry their form from last season, when they ended at the top of their respective zonal group. "We had a very good performance in the second division league last season, and the spirits are high as the boys want to carry that form into this season. Mohammedan are a strong side, but we believe that we can perform on the given day and take the points," he said.

The ARA head coach said that due to the current format of the I-League Qualifiers, his side will treat the round-robin matches as knockout games. "Every match is like a final for us. So we are going at it with the objective of picking up three points per game," he said.

Mohammedan boss Law, on the other hand, believed that his counterparts have a slight advantage, as ARA would have had an opportunity to get a look at Mohammedan's last game. "They definitely watched and analysed us from the last game which is why they could have an upper hand. But we also have a few tricks up our sleeves," said Law.

Next Story