I-League, Preview: East Bengal face Bengaluru FC; Mumbai FC host Aiwzal

Barasat/Mumbai: Their quest for a maiden I-League title will be tested when an unbeaten East Bengal face defending champions Bengaluru FC on a rampaging form in an exciting I-League football battle in Barasat on Sunday. In day's another encounter, Mumbai FC hosts spirited Aiwzal FC at the Cooperage.

For the defending champions, this will be their first match on the road, and arrived in Barast on the back of three home wins, but head coach Albert Roca refused to make much of the streak on the eve of the fixture.

"It is true that we have won three games in a row but an away game changes things. East Bengal are a tough side with some very good players and we'll have to be better than we were before if we are to take anything away from this game," Roca said.

A second-half strike from skipper Sunil Chhetri goal secured three points for the Blues at the Barasat when the two sides last met in Kolkata, which was the club's first away win against East Bengal.

Ahead of his first clash against the Red and Golds, Roca maintained that the need is to keep winning. The Spaniard denied changing his approach to the game, maintaining that changes would be made only to cater to the need of the team.

"Every opposition plays a different game and as a coach, it's important to make sure that the best suited team is out there. Some of our players have played all three games at home but whether they start or not depends on the opposition and the game-plan," Roca added.

With defender Sandesh Jhingan not making the travel with a minor injury, Roca mentioned that the squad has enough in terms of depth to see the Blues through the run of away fixtures.

Jhingan picked up a minor injury at training and I would rather have him recover completely with our medical team in Bengaluru than travel to Kolkata. But apart from that we have a squad that's ready to take this game on. Sena Ralte returns to the squad after missing the previous game.

East Bengal started their campaign with a draw against Aizawl before picking up wins against DSK Shivajians and Churchill Brothers.

The Calcutta Football League champions have shored up their foreign player department with the signings of Ivan Bukenya (Uganda), Willis Plaza (Trinidad & Tobago), Wedson Anselme (Haiti) and Ildar Amirov (Kyrgyzstan) but Trevor Morgan is yet to start with all of them in the same game.

To add to the gripping contest at hand, the game also throws in two players being pitted against their former clubs.

Harmanjot Khabra will make his first return to the Kolkata-based club where he plied his trade for seven seasons while striker Robin Singh will take to the pitch against a Blues' side for which he scored 14 goals in two seasons.

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In Mumbai, Santosh Kashyap's outfit are confident of returning to winning form after the heavy defeat against defending champions in their fourth round match against Aizawl FC.

Head coach Kashyap believes that the home conditions will help his team, standing fifth on the table, play for a win against fourth-placed Aizawl in a game that is expected to be exciting.

"We are a young side, who are willing to accept any challenge. After the defeat in the last match against Bengaluru FC in an away fixture earlier this week, we want to come back stronger and are confident of playing for a win and the home conditions would certainly favour us," said Kashyap.

Speaking about the defeat in Bengaluru, Kashyap admitted that they lost to a better side. "To be very honest, we were up against a very strong side, who was well balanced in every department and also good quality players. We tried our best to match them and gave our best efforts, especially in the first half, but after we conceded a soft goal on the stroke of half-time it became very difficult for us to cope with them," a modest Kashyap stated.

Kashyap mentioned that his players have taken that defeat in their stride and are looking forward to the matches ahead. "It was one bad day. We have forgotten about the last game and are now raring to go against Aizawl FC."

"This team (Aizawl FC) is a good team who are enjoying good run and are unbeaten in the last three games. Like all north-eastern outfits, who always come out fighting, they too like to play and open attacking game and we have to play better than them and go for a win," Kashyap admitted.

Kashyap also mentioned that they have signed two foreign players, who will be available for tomorrow's game against Aizawl, which is being coached by Mumbai FC's former coach Khalid Jamil.

"We have completed the signing of Densill Theobald, a midfielder from Trinidad and Tobago and Robson Santana (Robinho) and attacking midfielder from Brazil. I will include them, which would strengthen the attack," the coach stated.

Central defender Lalchawnkima who was injured in the last match is ruled out and Chinta Rao who had replaced him is likely to retain his position in the side for tomorrow's game.

Meanwhile, Jamil said he was happy to be back in Mumbai and would like to get on top of the home team, who he described as a very good team.

"We would like to play in a positive manner. Mumbai FC is a very good side although they lost to Bengaluru FC. We are not doing anything special but we would like to be on top."

Trinidadian Densill, who comes with abundant experience, is no stranger to the I-League and is familiar to the tactics of Mumbai coach Kashyap as he played for the gaffer's former club Royal Wahingdoh in 2014-15, playing 20 matches and scoring 3 goals in the process.

The midfielder also plied his trade for Goan clubs Dempo, in 2010-11, and Sporting Club de Goa, in 2015-16.

His profile includes 97 caps for Trinidad and Tobago and he was part of the first eleven that featured in the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany where he played all 3 group matches for his country.

Following the retirements of players like Dwight Yorke and Dennis Lawrence, Densill was given the responsibility to be the captain of 'Soca Warriors'.